Parents to Incur the Cost of Reopening Schools

Education CS Magoha announced today the resumption of learning in basic education institutions albeit allowing only form Fours and class eight and grade 4 students to report to schools on Monday 12th. Parents are likely to incur much of the costs for reopening. The rest of the learners remain disillusioned as to what plans the government has regarding allowing them back in schools.

The following are the additional costs parents will incur including school fees with the government claiming it has the required funds to ensure all COVID-Q9 Protocols are adhered to.

1.       Equipping students with facemasks

Parents have been left to have to buy masks for their children as the government has directed all learners to wear masks at all times to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The government has now given parents the responsibility to buy masks to ensure their children are safe and protected against infection. This is following a circular released by the Ministry of Education whereby more responsibility has been put in the hands of parents regarding ensuring the safety of children in learning institutions.

2.       Seeking donors

Stakeholders of schools, parents included together with school management teams and county education boards will be trained on how to mobilize resources during the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic. As a result, everyone may have to contribute additional funds to help run schools monthly.

“Participants may have to come up with additional finances, staff (teaching and non-teaching staff), ICT infrastructure, learning rooms, sanitizers and sanitizing facilities, and enough running water,” read the circular.

3.       Finding donors/partnerships

Education PS Belio Kipang also asked parents and other stakeholders to identify individuals who can be potential donors and partnerships that can be of help in order to raise money to make the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum a success in schools.

He also said stakeholders of schools should get as much help as they can to support the implementation of the Ministry of Health protocols such as hand washing and sanitizing and social distancing among other protocols directed by the Ministry of Health.

“The module of training is developed with the knowledge that strong involvement and collaboration with all stakeholders will go a long way to realize the effective reopening of learning institutions and proper management of COVID-19 to make the implementation of the curriculum successful,” said Dr. Belio Kipsang.

4.       Purchase of desks

The government is still implementing the Kshs. 1.9 Billion Desks project aimed at supplying 620,000desks to schools countrywide. However, these desks will obviously not be enough to cover the needs of all schools.

Of the 620,000 desks, 5,254 desks will be offered to secondary schools while 5,136 desks will be given to primary schools. The remaining schools will have to make do with what they currently have or hope to get a generous donor.

Conclusion

Schools have been given a green light to reopen beginning from Monday, October 12, 2020, with form four candidates allowed to resume learning in secondary schools while grade 4 and class eight students have also been allowed in the primary section.

The Ministry of Education has since said that this will promote social distancing, one of the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health to curb the spread of COVID.

 Whether this is a long-term solution, regarding physical distancing in schools remains to be seen. At the time of writing this article, there looks to be no possible plan on how students can be accommodated in schools with existing infrastructure. There can only be too many donors, who can help boost the financial needs of all schools in the country. The government just seems to be handing responsibility to everybody regarding availing funds to schools for the protection of students against COVID-19 and this will stress the pockets of those who have children in schools.