Learners do not need a break in December

Rested pupils • After staying at home for seven months due to Covid-19, students have had enough rest, says Erastus Wanjiru, rejecting the plea for yet another break in December. While this is the “holidaying month”, he doesn’t see it should be left out of the education calendar. “We’re operating under abnormal circumstances, which call for unusual responses.” His contact is [email protected].

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School arson • School arson must be severely punished by sending the culprits to jail as a deterrent, says Cornelius Oliko. “After an expensive dormitory is been burnt down, the news report says ‘a fire has destroyed’, removing the perpetrators from the act. Boarding school life was worse in the past but nobody would even imagine breaking a window pane.” His contact is [email protected].

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Slower trains • Since Kenya Railways reintroduced the second passenger train on the Nairobi-Mombasa SGR recently, Carey Yiembe notes, “it appears the speeds have been reduced”. The trains arrive half an hour later. He poses, tongue-in-cheek: “Does this have to do with minimising the spread of the coronavirus? Please do not sacrifice the speeds of the trains.” His contact is [email protected].

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Footpath • Conspicuously missing from the refurbishing of Kiambu Road is the building of sidewalks, says Ruth Gituma. The contractor must be compelled to build the paths for pedestrians to keep off the road. “They walk on mounds of soil or compete for space with motorists, which is risky. Let’s also have guardrails at the stream near Muthaiga.” Her contact is [email protected].

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Loquats • What has happened to loquats? asks George Forest, noting that the trees did not flower this year. “As a result, we missed the punchy-sweet little yellow fruits in the August to September season. What can be the reason, if not climate change? Can scientists solve this mystery, for this is once in my living memory — and I’m an old man?” His contact is [email protected].

Have a fruitful day, won’t you!