In the wake of recent attacks on school principals and teachers for perceived poor KCSE results, the National Parents Association (NPA) is urging the government to deploy police officers to schools to forestall hostility from the community. The NPA argues that such attacks compromise the safety and well-being of school staff and hinder effective educational governance.
Key Points:
- Protection from Harassment:
- NPA Chairman David Silas Obuhatsa has called for swift government intervention to protect school principals and teachers from harassment. Recent attacks on educational professionals under the guise of protesting poor results have raised concerns about their safety.
- Holistic Responsibility for Performance:
- Obuhatsa emphasizes that the responsibility for school performance is shared among all stakeholders, including parents. He underscores the crucial role of parents in school management and advocates for their active involvement in addressing challenges.
- Request for Police Deployment:
- The NPA is making a formal request for the deployment of police officers to schools to ensure the safety and security of educators. This move aims to deter individuals from trespassing onto school premises to engage in acts of harassment.
- Call for Elections in Parents Associations (PAs):
- Obuhatsa urges the Ministry of Education to order elections for Parents Associations (PAs) across the country. The objective is to replace expired PA leaders and inject new perspectives into the management of education boards, fostering a renewed sense of order and cooperation.
- Parental Empowerment and Engagement (PEE):
- The NPA emphasizes the importance of Parental Empowerment and Engagement (PEE) to create awareness about the crucial role parents play in school management. Financial difficulties faced by the association are highlighted, and Obuhatsa calls on the government for support in achieving their goals.
Path to Restoring Sanity:
To address the ongoing crisis, the NPA advocates for a multi-faceted approach involving police deployment, renewed leadership through PA elections, and a commitment to parental empowerment. The ultimate goal is to restore order and ensure a conducive learning environment for students while safeguarding the well-being of educational professionals.
As discussions unfold, the call for government intervention and collaboration with parents remains at the forefront of efforts to navigate the challenges faced by the education sector in Kenya.
