“Let’s extend the amount of time our kids spend with their parents, but remember that 96% of our primary schools are day schools and will house junior schools. Since they are already day schools, we are not doing anything to eliminate it, according to PS Kipsang.
Kipsang’s remarks were a reiteration of his Tuesday message on the same subject, which sparked a heated discussion on the role of boarding schools in the field of basic education.
The country is preparing to transition the first cohort of the CBC to junior high, which, according the CBC taskforce’s recommendations, will be in current primary schools as of the time of the policy change.
Day schools will be the government’s preferred option for children in Grades 1 through 9, and Kipsang acknowledged that this decision would be crucial for the working group.
Despite his assurances, there are a lot of frightened parents whose kids are already enrolled in boarding elementary schools.
In 2023, Mary Atieno’s 12-year-old daughter will take the KCPE exams. She attends Booker Academy, which is located in Mumias, Kakamega County.
Atieno claims that she has very good reasons for choose a boarding school over a day school.
“Moving the child from one location to another will definitely inconvenience me and upset the child who has yet to take her examinations because the school is developed and has many resources. We took them there because we want the best for our children, “Atieno stated.
Atieno’s viewpoint is shared by many others around the nation who believe that boarding schools are essential for ensuring the continuation of their children’s education, particularly for parents who are unable to be there for their education.
However, the administration is adamant that this legislation will benefit parents, teachers, and students.
Additionally, it believes that some community segments thought to be vulnerable won’t be impacted by the gradual elimination of boarding primary schools.
Parliament has previously endorsed the State’s action.
Amboko Milemba, a member of parliament for Emuhaya who supports the new policy, claims it will make distribution of CDF monies to all more equitable and make the education sector more equal.
The senator, who also serves as the KUPPET Chairman, claimed that because boarding schools typically receive more CDF than day schools, this will also reduce competition for those institutions.
“We will invest even more in affordable boarding for intervention purposes in pastoralist areas where parents migrate in search of pasture so that it takes care of this specific population who need that intervention,” the statement continued.
The government used the need to reduce the cost of education, which is typically made more expensive by boarding charges, as justification for the decision.
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