Kenia

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Kenia frena la ola pirómana de sus escolares: 109 detenidos por quemar escuelas

Noticias

Kenia/21 julio 2016/Fuente: Eco Diario

Al menos 109 estudiantes han sido detenidos y otros 45 han sido imputados por la reciente ola de incendios intencionados que ha afectado a escuelas secundarias de Kenia, informaron hoy medios locales.

En un intento por frenar el creciente número de fuegos, que han destruido decenas de edificios por todo Kenia, el Gobierno ha decidido llevar a los estudiantes ante los tribunales y los ha acusado de conspirar para causar incendios y de destrucción premeditada de propiedad.

A pesar de las detenciones, las investigaciones de la Policía todavía no han determinado los motivos que están detrás de la ola de incendios, pues se han producido en localidades de todo el país y no parece haber una conexión.

«Sólo se han quemado residencias estudiantiles y oficinas de los directores de las escuelas. Podría haber un motivo detrás de esto», declaró el ministro de Educación, Fred Matiangi, que acusó a los directores de los centros de no controlar a sus estudiantes.

Desde comienzos de año al menos 70 escuelas se han visto afectadas por incendios provocados por los propios estudiantes.

Uno de los casos más sonados tuvo lugar en Kisii, en el suroeste de Kenia, donde a finales de junio un grupo de alumnos prendió fuego a sus dormitorios en protesta por la decisión de la dirección de no dejarles ver un partido de fútbol de la Eurocopa de Francia.

Fuente noticia: http://ecodiario.eleconomista.es/africa/noticias/7717121/07/16/Kenia-frena-la-ola-piromana-de-sus-escolares-al-menos-109-estudiantes-detenidos-y-45-imputados-por-quemar-escuelas.html

Fuente imagen: http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_kenyan_camel_library/img/4.jpg

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Kenia: 100 students held as dorm fires spark crisis in schools

Noticias

Kenia / 20 de julio de 2016 / Por: NATION TEAM / Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke/

Police on Tuesday rounded up 109 students as 45 others were charged in court in a Government crackdown on a wave of arson attacks that has hit public boarding schools countrywide.

Those taken to various courts across the country were charged with being in possession of petrol, conspiring to start fires and wilful destruction of property.

This happened as the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Fred Matiangi’, sought to shift the blame of the chaos in school to head teachers who he accused of failing to put in place “coherent and focused structures for engagement in schools.”

He also cited lack of harmony between some principals, their deputies and teachers, when he appeared before a Senate Committee on education on Tuesday.

“We have seen only dormitories and head teachers’ offices going up in flames. There could be a reason for this and which could include attempts to escape accountability questions,” said Dr Matiang’i as the chaos continued with three more schools being hit by unrest on Tuesday.

In Murang’a County, dormitories at Kibutha girls and Kiruri Secondary school were burnt down, while students at Kirogo secondary smashed classroom windows before they were dispersed by police.

In Kisii, at least 40 students, among them 12 girls, were arrested over the attacks targeting schools in the county.

In Masaba South, two boda-boda operators and five students were arrested for colluding in the burning of a dormitory at Bong’onta secondary, while five others were seized over a similar attack on Itibo Boys.

STUDENTS LOCKED UP

Police said they had arrested two students at Igorera Secondary in Kisii South and that they would take them to court on Wednesday to answer charges of attempted arson.

Eight others from St Mary’s Nyamagwa Girls High School were charged in Ogembo where they were joined by 10 boys from Sameta Secondary School.

In Bomachoge, three students of Omobera Secondary were locked up by police while in Nyamira, five others were charged with plotting to set Nyagokiani secondary on fire.

In Lamu, police said they were holding 10 students from the Mokowe Mixed Secondary School in Lamu West, saying they caught them trying to set their school ablaze last weekend.

County Commissioner Mr Joseph Kanyiri said two more students were on the run and were being sought by police.

In Kitui County, five students of St Lukes Boys high school were taken to court and charged with unlawful possession of four litres of petrol. They were each released on a Sh60, 000 bond until December 28 when their case will be heard.

In Elgeyo-Marakwet, six out of 11 students of St Francis Kimuron secondary caught with petrol were charged in a court in Iten where they denied charges of conspiring to set their school ablaze.

They were released on Sh80, 000 bond or a surety of Sh10, 000 each until August 3 when the case will be heard.

CONSPIRING TO START FIRE

In the same county, 26 students of Lelboinet secondary were arrested for conspiring to start a fire having been found with five litres of petrol.

In Nakuru, three students of Kambala Girls secondary school were charged with burning down one of the school’s dormitories.  The Form Two girls were accused of causing the destruction of property worth Sh3 million.

In Narok, eight students of Ntulele Secondary were charged with attempted arson and released on a Sh30, 000 bond.

In Naivasha, Police arrested 18 students who they said had planned to burn two dormitories at Kiambogo secondary school.

Kieni MP Kanini Kega called for the re-introduction of corporal punishment in schools saying indiscipline was quickly getting out of hand.

“I don’t see the need to form such teams or taskforces the answer is simply re-introduce canning in all learning institutions and things will work out.” he said while addressing residents of Mweiga town in his constituency.

Dr Matiang’i told senators that cases of unrest had been reported in  Kericho, Meru, Kisii, Machakos, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Uasin Gishu, Nyamira, Kitui, Nakuru, Migori, Siaya, Murang’a, Bungoma and Kiambu.

Story by Ouma Wanzala, Martin Mwaura, Aggrey Omboki, Elgar Machuka , Kaluem Kazungu, Boniface Mwangi, Thomas Waita, Philemon Suter,  Eric Matara,George Sayagie, Magadalene Wanja  and Macharia Mwangi

Fuente noticia: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/Students-arrested-in-police-crackdown/-/1056/3302090/-/akgkdg/-/index.html

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Kenia: Education sector on course to meet Vision 2030 goals

Noticias

África/Kenia/ Julio del 2016/ Noticias /www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke

Sector de la educación en vías de cumplir los objetivos de Visión 2030

 

Resumen:

El gobierno ha logrado mucho en el sector de la educación en virtud de los proyectos emblemáticos Visión 2030, ocho años después de que comenzó a rodar a cabo proyectos como se prevé en el azul-impresión. Visión 2030 presidente de la Junta de entrega Dr. James Mwangi dice que el mayor impacto ha sido en la implementación de la Educación Primaria Gratuita (FPE).

«A pesar de la visión 2030 se puso en marcha en 2007, se previó el azul de impresión en 2003, cuando se puso en marcha el programa de FPE. Este programa ha tenido un gran impacto en nuestro sistema educativo – el gobierno no sólo hizo libre y subvencionado en el nivel secundario de educación primaria, pero también hizo obligatoria la educación básica «, dijo.

Dr. Mwangi dijo que el mayor logro ha sido el enorme número de niños, especialmente de familias pobres que se unieron a las escuelas primarias y mayores tasas de transición de primaria a secundaria y terciaria. Actualmente, la matrícula en el nivel primario es más del 92 por ciento, mientras que la transición se ha incrementado un 85 por ciento.

«Este es un logro importante y las cosas sólo puede ser mejor en los próximos años», añadió. Dr. Mwangi, que es también el director general de banco de la equidad, en un lapso de unos pocos años en el país, ha logrado establecer 37 universidades públicas y una medida de gran número de universidades privadas. «Esto ha mejorado el acceso a la educación universitaria.

A diferencia del pasado donde la mayoría de los kenianos fueron al extranjero, India e incluso Uganda-cursar estudios superiores, tenemos más que suficientes universidades, «observó. Bajo el azul de impresión Visión 2030, el gobierno trató de incorporar la prestación de Desarrollo de la Primera Infancia y Educación (ECDE) en la educación básica.

El objetivo fue revisar la política ECDE para alinearla con la Constitución e integrar ECDE al plan de estudios básico de la escuela primaria. De acuerdo con la Visión 2030 Junta de entrega, ECDE es ahora una función descentralizada y, por lo tanto, los detalles de los avances variarán de acuerdo con los planes de desarrollo integrados (Condado CIDPs).

Un proyecto ECDE Política Nacional está a la espera de validación de las partes interesadas, pero el suministro de subsidios de capacitación en Sh1,020 por niño no se ha efectuado debido a las limitaciones de financiación. El Estado también previsto llevar a cabo la

 

Fuente: http://www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/people-daily/234607/education-sector-on-course-to-meet-vision-2030-goals/

Fuente Imagen http://www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Vision-2030-Delivery-Board-chairman-Dr-James-Mwangi.jpg

por lo que también para alinearla con la Constitución y V2030.

Un informe sobre las reformas ha sido adoptado por las partes interesadas y una propuesta para establecer un comité directivo para supervisar los diseños curriculares que se ha acordado.

«El plan de estudios reformado propone un cambio importante desde el actual sistema de 8-4-4 a una nueva estructura de 2-6-3-3», dice el tablero V2030. El establecimiento de los sistemas de enseñanza de gestión de información (EMIS) Centros en cada condado era otro objetivo. Este proyecto está financiado en su totalidad.

El presupuesto total fue de Sh500 millones; el Estado ha proporcionado Sh100 millones y las asociaciones mundiales Educación consorcio (GPE) ha proporcionado para Sh400 millones. El proyecto se inicia a finales de este ejercicio.

El establecimiento de técnica, educación y formación profesional Infraestructura (FTP) y el equipo era el otro objetivo. Construcción de 70 nuevos Institutos de Formación Técnica comenzó en 2014/15 a un costo de mil millones de Sh3.3; seis nuevos TTI se han construido y se están instalando equipos. También en curso son portátil y la provisión de infraestructura de educación básica en las áridas y proyectos tierras semiáridas.

Fuente: http://www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/people-daily/234607/education-sector-on-course-to-meet-vision-2030-goals/

Fuente Imagen http://www.mediamaxnetwork.co.ke/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Vision-2030-Delivery-Board-chairman-Dr-James-Mwangi.jpg

Education sector on course to meet Vision 2030 goals

The government has achieved much in education sector under the Vision 2030 flagship projects, eight years after it started rolling out projects as envisaged in the blue-print. Vision 2030 Delivery Board chairman Dr James Mwangi says the greatest impact has been in the implementation of Free Primary Education (FPE).

“Although Vision 2030 was launched in 2007, the blue-print was envisaged in 2003 when the FPE programme was launched. This programme has had great impact in our education system — the government not only made primary education free and subsidised at secondary level, but also made basic education compulsory,” he said.

Dr Mwangi said the biggest achievement has been the massive number of children, particularly from poor families who joined primary schools and higher transition rates from primary to secondary and tertiary levels. Currently, enrolment in primary level is over 92 per cent while transition has increased to 85 per cent.

“This is a major achievement and things can only be better in the coming years,” he added. Dr Mwangi, who is also the CEO of Equity Bank, said in a span of a few years the country, has managed to establish 37 public universities and a far great number of private universities. “This has improved access for university education.

Unlike in the past where most Kenyans went abroad —India and even Uganda— to pursue higher education, we have more than enough universities,” he observed. Under the Vision 2030 blue-print, the government endeavoured to mainstream the provision of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) into basic education.

The objective was to review ECDE policy to align it with the Constitution and integrate ECDE into basic primary school curriculum. According to the Vision 2030 Delivery Board, ECDE is now a devolved function and, therefore, details of progress will vary according to County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs).

A draft ECDE National Policy now awaits stakeholder validation, but provision of capitation grants at Sh1,020 per child has not been effected due to funding constraints. The State also planned to carry out curriculum review and reform so also to align it with the Constitution and V2030.

A report on the reforms has been adopted by stakeholders and a proposal to establish a steering committee to oversee the curriculum designs has been agreed upon.

“The reformed curriculum proposes a major change from the current 8-4-4 system to a new structure of 2-6-3-3,” the V2030 board says. The establishment of the Education Management Information Systems (EMIS) Centres in each county was the other target. This project is now fully funded.

The total budget was Sh500 million; the State has provided Sh100 million and the Global Partnerships for Education (GPE) consortium has provided Sh400 million. The project starts later this financial year.

The establishment of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Infrastructure and Equipment was the other target. Construction of 70 new Technical Training Institutes commenced in 2014/15 at a cost of Sh3.3 billion; six new TTIs have been built and equipment is being installed. Also on course are laptop and the provision of basic education infrastructure in Arid And Semi-Arid Lands projects.

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Tracoma, el mal que ciega el futuro del África negra

Noticias

África/18 de Julio de 2016/La Rioja

Hay pocos lugares del mundo donde el futuro se sienta más borroso que en poblados como el de Mayuge, en Uganda. Por eso, el doctor Bandobere Eleager se afana desde hace años en operar tantos ojos como puede. Practica una media de seis operaciones cada mañana a pacientes que sufren tracoma, una enfermedad que no tiene cura y en la que, solo a veces, se puede hacer algo por salvar parcialmente la visión del afectado. A la pregunta de cuántas operaciones hace, responde que «demasiadas». «Además, muchas veces tienen que volver en unos días y hay que repetir la intervención», explica sin dejar de coser los ojos de un anciano que soporta con estoicismo los bisturíes y el remiendo sobre sus párpados. Junto a Eleager, otro colega opera a toda velocidad en el humilde pero aséptico quirófano del dispensario del pueblo apoyados por otros dos facultativos. Fuera, un nutrido grupo de hombres y mujeres esperan su turno.

Más de 200 millones de personas de 51 países de África, Asia y América Latina corren el riesgo de padecer tracoma, conocida como la ceguera de los pobres porque solo se registra en los países con graves carencias en su desarrollo. De hecho el 90% de los invidentes del mundo se concentran en ese medio centenar de estados, según la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS).

Este organismo insiste en que África es el continente más afectado. La desnutrición, la exposición al aire libre en zonas de arena y polvo y la intensidad de la luz solar forman un cóctel explosivo, que acaba de ‘eclosionar’ debido a las graves carencias de salud. En Mayuge se da toda esta combinación de factores. «Aquí el tracoma era endémico hasta hace nueve años -continúa el doctor Eleager mientras sus larguísimos dedos operan con soltura-. Uno de cada siete niños lo padecía, ahora hemos bajado esa cifra hasta el 2%», afirma orgulloso.

 «La combinación de agua potable y unas simples letrinas ayudarían a detener el mal»

En esas cifras ha tenido bastante que ver la cooperación global. La Iniciativa Internacional contra el Tracoma (ITI), junto a la Coalición Internacional para el control del Tracoma (ICTC), tienen como ambicioso objetivo erradicar la dolencia en 2020. Pero los antecedentes son esperanzadores. Estados como Omán, China, Irán, Marruecos o Vietnam fueron declarados libres de tracoma en 2012. En los últimos 30 años, los afectados en el mundo han bajado de 360 millones a menos de 80. Pero todavía hay 230 millones de personas en riesgo.

La ITI, creada por la Fundación Edna McConell Clark, y la farmacéutica Pfizer, ha donado 500 millones de dosis de zitrimocina, un antibiótico que se ha mostrado eficaz contra la ‘Chlamydia trachomatis’, la bacteria que provoca la dolencia. Un avance para paliar sus efectos, que se agravan por las dolorosas úlceras de las córneas. El contagio se produce por secreciones oculares y nasales entre personas, gente que comparte objetos de higiene personal o ropa y luego se frotan los ojos. Los insectos son otro ‘aliado’ de la propagación. En Uganda ocho de sus 40 millones de habitantes viven en alguno de los 41 distritos en los que la enfermedad es endémica. Pero el mundo está lleno de escenarios como Mayuge. Zonas rurales de África (en especial subsahariana), América Central y del Sur, Oriente Medio y Asia. Lugares en los que «la combinación de agua potable y unas simples letrinas contribuirían a detener el mal», concluye el oftalmólogo Eleager mientras remata el cosido de su último paciente.

Un paciente con tracoma en lugares con tantas carencias se convierte en una vida lastrada y que agota una parte importante de los recursos y esfuerzos de la comunidad que debe atenderle. Una vez más, el futuro está en las aulas. En la cercana escuela comunal de Kyebando, a unas pocas decenas de metros del hospital, estudian algo más de mil niños en aulas que superan de largo los 60 o 70 críos. Pero todos participan en los programas para evitar pasar por la misma dolencia que sus padres y abuelos. Cuando su profesor pregunta «¿quién tiene un familiar que sufra tracoma?» solo un chico extiende la mano. «Hace una década la habría levantado más del 60%», dice con orgullo su director, Muwubani Fred. Son barracones muy sencillos pero, en el programa educativo del centro, los planes de formación incluyen maestros de apoyo para responder a las necesidades específicas de cada alumno: «incluidos los que puedan estar afectados en casa por una pandemia como el tracoma», saca pecho el maestro Fred.

Fuente: http://www.larioja.com/culturas/201607/17/tracoma-ciega-futuro-africa-20160717000405-v.html

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Kenya: From school meals recipient to presidential fellow

Noticias

África/Kenya/17 Julio 2016/Fuente:Wfp /Autor:Salma Bahramy

Resumen: Cada año, cerca de 50.000 personas que aplican a la Beca Mandela Washington – el programa insignia de la Iniciativa de jóvenes líderes africanos del presidente estadounidense, Barack Obama, la cuál permite a los jóvenes a través de cursos académicos, la formación de liderazgo y trabajo en red. Los solicitantes fueron un total de 1.000 destacados líderes jóvenes de África subsahariana son seleccionados para recibir capacitación para el desarrollo profesional en varias universidades en los EE.UU.

Salma Bahramy — Each year, nearly 50,000 people apply to the Mandela Washington Fellowship – the flagship program of U.S. President Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative that empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. Out of the applicants, 1,000 outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa are selected to receive professional development training at various universities across the U.S.

One such young person is 28-year-old Peter Mumo. This month, Peter will leave Nairobi, Kenya, for Des Moines, Iowa, to take part in a six-week business and entrepreneurship training hosted by Drake University. Following the academic component of the fellowship, Peter and the rest of the fellows will visit Washington for a three-day summit featuring a town hall with President Obama. Peter will have the opportunity to learn from and engage with U.S. leaders from the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

But Peter’s life didn’t start out so promising. He grew up in Makueni County, an impoverished area in eastern Kenya, where drought and subsequent hunger plagued him and his family. Erratic rainfall resulting in crop failures created a dire situation for Peter’s family. They lacked food, clothing, adequate shelter, and access to clean water, among other things.

«Going to school on an empty stomach was the norm for me. I would get sick often. Playing with other kids wasn’t enjoyable for me because I was always emaciated. My siblings and friends were not spared either,» says Peter.

Years of hunger affected Peter’s immune system and his ability to learn in class. Normal childhood illnesses would routinely land Peter in hospitals. Concentrating on school lessons proved virtually impossible on an empty stomach.

But one year, when Peter was nine, things took a turn for the better when WFP introduced its school meals program. Peter and his classmates began receiving breakfast meals and snacks to take home. Peter’s health began to improve and knowing he’d have a meal waiting for him at school allowed him to focus on his studies. Over the years, Peter shot to the top of his class and eventually earned an engineering degree from Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya.

After graduation, Peter began working in the agricultural industry in Nairobi where he learned of the challenges faced by many of the country’s farmers. While agriculture is the most important economic activity in Kenya, only about 20% of the land is suitable for farming. Improving resilience to climate change and using technology to improve farming systems would help make Kenya’s agricultural sector more viable.

Peter decided to join those fixing the gaps in Kenya’s agricultural sector. He spearheaded programs that improved water harvesting and storage systems so farmers could have water reserves when rainfall was low. He developed an information support service to help connect farmers across Kenya to optimize productivity. Peter is currently developing a web-based application that will improve access to these services.

«When I was in need someone stepped up and made a significant difference not just for me, but for my entire community. I never dreamed that I’d be in a position to help others one day,» says Peter.

The Mandela Fellows are selected for their accomplishments in promoting innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. For Peter Mumo, this is just the beginning.

Fuente de la noticia: https://www.wfp.org/stories/school-meals-recipient-presidential-fellow-0

Fuente de la imagen: https://www.wfp.org/sites/default/files/images/2016/peterclassmates4_0.png

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Libros: El Gen Egoista, del autor Richard Dawkins

Reseñas

África/Kenia/julio del 2016/Reseña/www.elresumen.com

Resumen:

«Somos máquinas de supervivencia, autómatas programados a ciegas con el fin de perpetuar la existencia de los egoístas genes que albergamos en nuestras células». Así de rotundo es el comienzo del libro en el que el etólogo Richard Dawkins popularizó la teoría de que los genes son las verdaderas «unidades» centrales de la evolución, en vez de los individuos como los animales o las plantas. De esto hace ya casi treinta años, pues el libro se publicó en 1976.

Según Dawkins, los genes primigenios nos crearon a las personas y los animales, quienes somos en realidad meras «máquinas de transmisión». Como máquinas podemos funcionar mejor o peor en nuestro entorno y de este modo continuar la cadena (garantizar la supervivencia y reproducción de los genes) a lo largo del tiempo, o perecer en una selección evolutiva.

En su momento fue una forma de ver las cosas al revés sobre muchas ideas tradicionales sobre la evolución centrada en los individuos o las especies (por no hablar respecto a las ideas religiosas al respecto), pero actualmente hay cierto consenso en la comunidad científica sobre que esta idea es la que probablemente más se acerca a la realidad.

Nombre completo: Richard Dawkins

Lugar de nacimiento: Nairobi, Kenia

Fecha de nacimiento: 26 de marzo de 1941

Géneros literarios: Ciencia / Divulgación Científica

 Fuente:http://www.elresumen.com/libros/el_gen_egoista.htm

Fuente imagen http://cdn.slidesharecdn.com/ss_thumbnails/elgenegoista-130320214608-phpapp01-thumbnail-4.jpg?cb=1363816012

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Kenia: All eyes on Matiang’i as new term dates are blamed for unrest

Noticias

Africa/Kenia/Julio de 2016/Daily Nation

Resumen: Los sindicatos de maestros dicen que los disturbios es como resultado de la tensión causada por los cambios bruscos en el calendario escolar. Los maestros han aumentado la presión sobre la educación, el secretario del gabinete de Ciencia y Tecnología (CS) Fred Matiang’i dijo para revisar las nuevas fechas escolares, que han sido citados como la causa principal de la ola de disturbios estudiantiles en las escuelas secundarias de todo Kenia.

Teachers have stepped up pressure on Education, Science and Technology Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang’i to review the contested new term dates, which have been cited as the major cause of the wave of student unrest in secondary schools across Kenya.
The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) also waded into the issue on Wednesday, absolving its members of blame for school unrest during a meeting with education officials in Nairobi.
The association is expected to meet with the CS on Thursday to look into the issue of school unrest and how best to address it, among other issues.
This comes even as more schools went up in flames, with the latest being Kieni Day and Boarding Secondary School in Tharaka Nithi County, Kiteta Boys Secondary School in Makueni County and Kapchepkor Boys High School in Baringo County.
A police report indicates that students in 122 schools have gone on the rampage in the past 18 months, leading to massive destruction of property worth millions of shillings.
The latest statistics indicate almost 60 cases have been reported this year, while 92 cases occurred last year.
The Kenya National Union of teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) insisted that the unrest is as a result of tension caused by the abrupt changes in the school calendar.
Even though they acknowledged that there were cases of student unrest last year, they insisted that the magnitude was not as big as the one witnessed in the last two months.
Knut Secretary General Wilson Sossion asked Dr Matiang’i to embrace dialogue with stakeholders on how best to stem examination cheating.
“It is embarrassing to lose schools infrastructure worth millions of shillings through arson,” said Mr Sossion in a statement.
Kuppet Chairman Omboko Milemba also called on the CS to embrace dialogue and seek the views of other stakeholders “instead of being a lone ranger in finding a solution to the problem”.
Mr Milemba said there is need for a new task force to look at the cause of the unrest conclusively and that the government should not rely on past task forces’ reports, which he said were outdated.
He said the government should consider closing schools to allow students to rest as it pursues the issue.
Kessha Vice-Chairperson Indimuli Kahi said the association will carry out its own investigations to establish the cause of the unrest.
“We want to do our own investigation as an association so that we can understand this problem that seems to be getting out of hand,” said Mr Kahi.
NOT CONDEMNED
However, he insisted that school heads should not be condemned.
At least 12 teachers and sub-county education officials have either been suspended or transferred in three of the schools affected by student riots in Kisii.
Kenya Parents Teachers Association Chairman Nathan Barasa agreed with the teachers, saying the extension of term has contributed to the mess.
However, Mr Barasa blamed school heads, saying there is total breakdown in communication between them and students.
“We must address the high handedness by school heads in schools,” said Mr Barasa.
In May, Dr Matiang’i reorganised the school calendar and announced far-reaching changes in the administration of national examinations to curb cheating.
He banned all social activities in third term—including prayer days, visiting, half term breaks, sports, prize-giving ceremonies and annual general meetings—to cut contact between candidates and outsiders.
To accommodate the changes, term two, which was initially scheduled to end on August 5, was extended to August 12, shortening the holidays to only two weeks from the previous four.
The third term will last only nine weeks from the previous 12, beginning on August 29 and ending on October 28.
However, Dr Matiang’i has dismissed the notion, noting schools have experienced students’ riots even when the school calendar had not been varied.
On Wednesday last week, Dr Matiang’i met members of the Education Committee in the National Assembly to discuss the school unrest. His meeting with Senate committee on Tuesday this week was postponed.
Foto: The Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Fred Matiang’i, speaks at Ngara Girls High School in Nairobi on June 30, 2016. PHOTO | ANTHONY OMUYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Fuente: http://www.nation.co.ke/news/all-eyes-on-matiangi-new-term-dates-blamed-for-unrest/-/1056/3293842/-/108eco4/-/index.html

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