Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha should slow down the planned launch of community-based learning, Teso North MP Oku Kaunya has said.
Kaunya said all stakeholders involved in education – from the national government, county and community level – should be consulted before the new mode of learning is rolled out.
Learning outside school has challenges that may pose dangers to the safety of learners, the MP said.
“Community-based learning is good if it will be implemented in an organised way and a manner that will ensure our children are safe. Safety is very important for these children,” the MP told the Star.
“It would not be possible for these children to sit under trees without control because the fact is schools offer a chance for control where children maintain discipline, where they are within boundaries.”
He said the new mode of learning the Education ministry is trying to adopt following the closure of schools due to Covid-19 is a recipe for indiscipline.
The MP’s response came after Magoha said the government was ready to roll out the programme across the country for both primary and secondary school learners.
The CS said the programme would be implemented by the Education and Fred Matiangi’s Interior ministries as well as the Teachers Service Commission.
Magoha last week had said the learning methodology would not be pegged to payment of teachers’ salaries. He told teachers who had not enrolled for the programme to enlist.
But Kaunya said the country is not yet ready for the programme, which is the first of its kind since Kenya attained Independence.
“If they (learners) will just be walking around under trees, I do not think it will be good unless we put measures that will ensure there is control,” Kaunya said.
“The ministry should also ensure there are teachers charged with the responsibility. Otherwise, we will be making a very big mistake.”
There is already division among teachers over whether the programme will succeed or not.
Whereas some teachers support it, others argue the teaching methodology is being rushed with little knowledge that there are villages with no teachers but still have learners.
“What about villages with no teachers? Who will teach children from these villages?” a teacher asked on Wednesday.
The programme envisions that teachers give instructions to learners from within their localities.
Justice James Makau on Tuesday temporarily stopped Magoha from implementing the project.
He certified urgent a case filed by a parent seeking to bar Magoha from implementing it.