Students from private schools should not be denied bursary

By Tobby Otum

The government must end bureaucracy during disbursement of bursary and programmes like Wings to Fly to students from private schools.

Kenya Private Schools Association [KPSA] Mombasa county Chairman Dr Elisha Mwango said they are greatly concerned over discrimination in the disbursement of education bursary to students from private institutions.

Mwango, who was accompanied by Assistant Secretary Rukiya Abafae was speaking when he presented recommendations and views of KPSA to members of the Presidential working Party on Education on Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) reforms sitting at Coast Girls High School in Mombasa county.

“Private schools go to the extent of assisting students who are in need of assistance,” he pointed out.

Mwango refuted claims that majority of the students who attended learning at such institutions are from wealthy families.

The KPSA Mombasa branch chairman petitioned the government to address a bit of grey areas in Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) reforms before the implementation takes place.

He urged the government to ensure they recognize the importance of a good working relationship with the association.

“We would like to put our record straight that our association is not against the implementation of the CBC,” he said.

The KPSA Mombasa county chairman asked the government to end the notion that students from private schools are from wealthy families.

Mwango told the reforms committee some students from private schools are from poor and not rich families.

On their part, Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya [CIPK] Director of Education Zainudin Mohamed urged the government not to abolish the 8-4-4 system and insisted on its being reformed.

He told the task force they have received a lot of complaints regarding the CBC adding that CBC has created confusion in the education sector and among parents.

Prior to the collecting public views and recommendations from both education stakeholders and civil society the task force, which is headed by Prof Leila Abubakar, had paid courtesy call on Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Nassir and embanked on inspection of learning facilities at all six sub counties.

Leila, who Vice Chancellor at Technical University of Mombasa [TUM] and who was Prof Hassan Mwakimako, Paul Lilan and Jane Kimili told journalists there is confusion in learning institutions with some teachers understanding the CBC while others not understanding it.

She pointed out inadequate training program contribute to confusion in CBC implementation.

“The biggest challenge is lack of learning infrastructure to implement grade 6 which is a causality,” she added.