The Kenya Alliance of Non-Formal
Schools Welfare Association (KANSWA), Kenya independent Schools Association(KISA)
and the Complimentary Schools Association of Kenya (CSAK) have called on the
ministry of education to halt the ongoing national closure of
schools.
Addressing journalists at Jukwaa
Hotel Uhuru Park in Nairobi, on Thursday, the National Chair Kenya
Alliance of Non formal Schools Allan J. Masika urged Education
Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha to seek alternative means of
solving the issues by involving all the stakeholders.
“CS Magoha should look for
alternative means including dialogue with all the stakeholders,
offering advice and guidance to the school management on how to
ensure safe environment for learners, rather than resolving to
closure measure.” said Masika.
The alliance wants the ministry to
stop the closure exercise, which has seen about 20 schools closed in
the country, and develop a modern approach of conflict resolution
including stakeholders’ engagement.
He said that among the schools
closed include 8 in Mombasa, Nyeri (1), Eldoret (1), Kwale, Vihiga
and Malindi 2 schools each, among others.
Mr. Masika added that the
association has plans and measures to ensure quality learner
environment is achieved in non-formal basic education training
institutions.
“We have Quality Assurance
Officers moving around the institutions to ensure that the
environment in informal schools is safe, to give advice, guidance to
the school management.” he added.
They claimed that government schools
are less thus closing down informal schools will overcrowd them.
George Magoha, a stakeholder said
that one of the challeng facing non formal school is failure by the
ministry to implement the Alternative Provision of Basic Education
and Training (APBET) policy.
This comes following the Precious
Talent School collapse in Dagoreti which killed at least 8 pupils,
injuring 64 others.
The government issued a circular on
September 26, ordering the closure of all non-registered schools
across the country, directing transfer of students to public schools.
The Association reacted to the move
terming it ‘an emotive reaction’ to tens of thousands of students
yearning for education.
They added that the consequences
from the closure affect more than 2 million students in the country,
blaming the government over poor management and clear distinction on
safety environment to learners.
“Every school should have a safe
environment for learners and parents are confident with that when
they take their children to such schools.”
They sympathized with the victims’
families of the Precious Talent School accident.
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