Parents have called on the government to involve them in the planned Community-Based Learning before it is rolled out.
Under Mizizi Imara, a consortium of five agencies, parents demanded comprehensive consultations before the implementation of the programme.
National Parents Association Kisumu chairman Edwin Ndege said stakeholders including county governments and non-governmental organisations should be consulted.
Ndege said the consultations should include a participatory needs assessment, a risk assessment and a sustainability strategy.
They spoke in Kisumu town on Tuesday.
Victor Oteku (Imarika Pamoja CBO), Duncan Gumba (Imarika Pamoja CBO) and Chrisant Obala (Hope For Widows and Children Foundation) were present.
“We take note of the intention of the Ministry of Education to implement the learning approach. But stakeholders should be involved first,” Ndege said.
Ndege noted that the CBL is a noble idea that if properly designed and implemented can be of great benefit to children, now and in the future.
“We are concerned that there are glaring gaps in terms of the focus areas which include safety, values and talents,” he said.
He said the rationale for closing schools was to keep children safe "but now we are congregating the same children in places that are yet to be identified that could put the health of children in danger".
“Our main worry is that the movement of our children from home to the learning centres could expose them to many other risks including gender-based violence, drug and substance abuse, and Covid-19,” Ndege said.
Imara Mizizi chairman Sam Owoko said there are many opportunities for virtual education that have not been exploited.
“We are also concerned that we do not have an idea of the curriculum to be followed. We have only gathered that there will be issues like building children’s talents, teaching them about safety, and the most puzzling of them all is the impact,” Owoko said.
He said that values cannot be taught, people adopt the values that they feel most comfortable with and which appear to be reasonable and that integrates one in their families and communities.
Owoko said that if these values will be imparted by people who have no prior training on value clarification for attitude transformation, then they are likely to do more damage than good.
“Our schools are characterised by poor infrastructure, lack of sanitation facilities, and overcrowding which are all risk factors for Covid-19 infection,” he added.
He also demanded wider consultation with stakeholders including the children on the matter.
Edited by R.Wamochie