Presidential Committee Criticised For Not Reintroducing Caning in Schools

Recommendations by the Presidential Working Committee on Education Sector reforms continue to elicit reactions with stakeholders in Thika questioning why they failed to have canning reintroduced in schools.

Several stakeholders wanted caning reintroduced and wondered why the committee quashed the proposal.

Speaking during an alumni association meeting of Gatumaini Primary School in Thika on Saturday, they said indiscipline and drug abuse will continue to wreck learning institutions as a result of banning canning.

Two retired teachers Mr. James Kabugu Ngige and Ms. Monicah Ndirangu, stressed that caning should be brought back to school if we are to reform the education sector, saying it played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of the child.

“Reintroducing caning was one of the major proposals by most of the stakeholders to the committee. We knew it would curb drug abuse and indiscipline in schools. However, it has been overlooked. We hope the Education Ministry will relook into it,” said Ngige.

The reduction of subjects was also welcomed by parents saying it would reduce students’ backlog of carrying dozens of books and the many subjects they go through.

The committee slashed the subjects taught in Junior Secondary from 14 to nine. Lower primary schools will have seven subjects from the current nine, while Upper Primary have their subjects reduced from 12 to 8.

They said the subjects should be reduced further to make the learners more specialized in particular subjects.

Gatumaini Primary School Chairman Prof. Charles Musyoki urged alumni to give back to the society in their former schools saying this would boost the morale of teachers and students.

Another retired teacher Ms. Teresia Njeri, however, faulted the government for delaying teachers’ retirement benefits saying they are taking too long to mature leaving the retired teachers suffering.

– KNA

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