Kuppet: 10 days too short for co-curricular activities

Akello Misori

Kuppet secretary-general Akello Misori addresses journalists at the union’s offices in Nairobi on February 23, 2022. The union is protesting the move by Education ministry to confine all co-curricular activities to 10 days.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Teachers have protested what they termed a crush programme for co-curricular activities released by the Ministry of Education limiting the events to 10 days after a two-year break.

The teachers, who were eager to resume the activities that were stopped in March 2020 following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, said the time provided for the events is "too little" and was given on short notice.

Speaking on behalf of disgruntled teachers, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) executive Sabala Inyeni said tutors had received a notice from Jogoo House requiring schools to start with athletics on June 30 and conclude by July 7.
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Mr Inyeni said sports teachers are concerned that the time is too short for the activities that usually last several months.

He also said this would pose a financial strain on participating schools due to the abrupt notice given by the ministry.

Unfair

The unionist, displaying the circular, described the Ministry of Education decision as “sinister, ill-timed and unfair to learners, teachers, and heads of schools”.

According to the circular, whose authenticity the Nation could not immediately establish, the national secondary and primary school athletics championships are to be held in Kigari, Embu and Machakos teachers training colleges on diverse dates from June 30 to July 7.

The said circular is signed by AG Rukaria on behalf of the principal secretary and cites the short academic calendar for the crush sporting programmes.

It explains that all schools were closed on March 15, 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19, disrupting education programmes, including co-curricular activities.

Yesterday, however, Mr Inyeni said teachers in the sporting fraternity are protesting the crush programme.

“The circular, which is in our possession, indicates that all activities have to be concluded in a record 10 days,” said Mr Inyeni.

He went on: “Usually, these activities take two full terms, running from January to August. The circular is sinister, ill-timed and unfair to learners, teachers and heads of schools who are expected to fund these programmes.

"It appears there are some individuals struggling to account for funds released by the Treasury for sports this year and now want to use our teachers and students as pawns in this game."