Want school fires to die down? Listen to people starting them
A dormitory that was gutted in a Sunday evening fire.
The unrest in schools is becoming a national shame.
Over the past few weeks, dozens, if not hundreds, of schools have been burnt down amid a spiralling wave of unrest.
More worrying is the fact that more and more schools are catching this fiery fever even as Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha talks tough.
But the sad reality is that every other year, schools are torched but the definite causes are never established.
Meanwhile, blame has been laid on the crash programme whose aim was to recover the time lost during Covid-19 pandemic.
But is this really the issue or a scapegoat? Much as we all understand the situation that the pandemic put us in, we ought to appreciate the fact that we are humans. Every activity, just like people, has elastic limits.
The pressure that has been building up in schools, especially among teachers and students, has not been adequately addressed. The strained academic calendar has forced them to work overtime to ensure the success of programme.
But unlike teachers, learners lack avenues to air their opinions. It is quite ironical that the main stakeholders in a school don’t get the chance to communicate issues affecting them. It is only in a few schools that one finds a working communication channel between teachers, students and the administration.
Grievances
Seeing schools burning down in the name of students expressing their grievances is saddening. It does not benefit anyone.
If we are to ever stop this menace, we should work on proper communication channels in the school system. Regular forums with learners is an effective way of reaching out.
And dear parents, how frequently do you talk with your children on issues affecting them in school? If the learners had people to talk to, people who would hear them out and discuss issues affecting them, we wouldn’t be having such ugly scenes.
Sceptical as I am, maybe forming student committees and coming up with reports that are implemented is the surest way to curb this unrest.
Trevor, 17, studies at Alliance High School. Are you aged 10-20 and would like to be Nation’s young reporter? Email your 400-600-word article to [email protected]
