Nyandarua parents and education stakeholders want the Junior Secondary school to be domiciled in Primary schools to allow male learners to mature and get circumcised before transition.
Prof. Stephen Kiama led Working Party on Education, Tuesday heard that the pre-teen learners were prone to harassment by the teenagers, who were out to experiment on anything further affecting their social development.
“I am not ready to take my child to a secondary school where they will interact with more mature students unless it is a day school set up.
“We are used to transitioning these children through circumcision and they are too young to be subjected to that at the moment,” cried Steven Mucheru.
Wagatuigu Primary school pupil, Peter Maina, confessed to chilling each time junior secondary was mentioned noting that he was too young to face the near adult teenagers.
“We are too young for secondary and we prefer remaining in primary school, until we mature enough for the right of passage,” noted Maina, the grade six pupil.
Nyandarua Chapter Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Vice Chair Peter Maina acknowledged the challenge to curb molestation in schools, noting that the young learners were susceptible to psychological torture.
“Subjecting the boys to circumcision right now will be meaningless as they are too young to be aware of themselves,” regretted Maina.
The committee sitting in Ol Kalou Secondary school was told that the current facilities in the sub county secondary schools, where parents are likely to take their children for fear of boarding schools, were inadequate to accommodate more learners.
“The crowds in our toilets and common facilities will be worsened yet our primary schools will have underutilized facilities. Our teachers are already overwhelmed as they are few and we are afraid that we will not get enough attention with an additional class,” noted Esther Wanjiru of Muhotetu Secondary school.
The cost of secondary school, the committee heard, will be overwhelming to the government and parents as the six years in secondary school will be a burden.
Prof. Kiama noted that the committee aimed at receiving views on governance of schools, capitation and curriculums at all levels of education to inform a common front for the sector.
By Anne Sabuni
