A Murang’a philanthropist has called upon the government and communities to embrace and support day schools, noting that the schools give all children access to education.
While speaking at Karung’e Day Secondary School during a weekend event to celebrate last year’s best students in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) who will be joining university this year, Ahadi Kenya Trust CEO Dr. Stanley Kamau called upon the government to ensure that all Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) have a senior school attached to them.
He noted that day senior secondary schools increased access to education and were the way to achieve 100 per cent transition from JSS.
“Children should not have to go to far-away schools to get secondary education,” he noted. “Let us ensure that every junior school has a secondary school so that we can have a 100 per cent transition,” he added, noting that day schools would also reduce the financial burden on the parents.
Kamau called upon the government to continue improving infrastructure such as classrooms and laboratories in day schools to ensure learners have the same resources and dignity as their peers.
He noted that Karung’e secondary school has produced 65 students who have qualified to join university over the past years.
The philanthropist applauded the local administration for ensuring all children have reported to school after the grade nine examination and underscored the need for communities to support such schools so that they could accommodate more learners.
“We will ensure that we support such schools so that all our children access education,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kamau has said that leaders have a duty to educate the public on government projects so that they can be informed. “The communities need to know that the government has employed enough teachers and capitation was released on time this term,” he stated.
He called upon all leaders to offer balanced criticism, noting that the government has done some commendable things. “Even as we criticise the government, we have to tell the truth where it has done a good job,” he said.
Together with Harriet Njenga, the Entrepreneur Support at Be.cause International Dr. Kamau, distributed 650 pairs of “The Shoe that Grows” to learners and teachers.
Amos Gathira, one of the top students from Karung’e Secondary School, noted that day schools were as good as boarding schools and students could get good grades with hard work and determination.
“With hard work, I scored a grade B in last year’s KCSE) exam from Karunge secondary school,” he said.
One parent, John Kamotho, called upon parents whose children are in day schools to ensure that they support them. “Let us support our children by giving them time to study. Let us not allocate them too many chores at home,” Kamotho said.
The Chief Gitugi location, David Waiganjo, noted that day schools have really improved and were now seeing a big transition into universities.
“The schools have enough qualified teachers and students can compete with their peers in boarding schools,” he noted, adding that all children have transitioned to senior schools as directed by the government.
By Purity Mugo
