Meru MP Dawood calls for abolishment of boarding schools

By Dennis Dibondo

North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood proposes to the Ministry of Education to consider abolishing boarding schools.

He said the current students' unrest is worrying.

"The trend at which the burning of dormitories continues is very worrying the government will have no alternative apart from abolishing boarding schools in Kenya," Dawood said.

Speaking at CCM Township day secondary school in Meru town, Dawood regretted that fire incidents could lead to unnecessary loss of life, property, and injuries.

He said school unrest and especially burning of dorms is common during exams times, which mostly falls in the third term of the academic year.

"If the current trend and especially the burning of dormitories continues, the government should consider abolishing boarding schools in the country" Dawood said.

The legislator said fire incidents could easily lead to unnecessary loss of life, property and injuries, addi the best solution is to scrap boarding schools in order to avoid such calamities.

He advised the learners to seek guidance and counselling from teachers, parents, and education officials in case they are facing problems instead of burning dormitories, which at times leads to the death of innocent students.

While condoling with the victims of Endarasha Hillside Academy, the MP noted that he has visited several boarding schools and was not happy with how the students are accommodated at the institutions.

He said the model of boarding schools should be evaluated in a bid to make it safe and child friendly.

He said it should be made mandatory for matrons to sleep in the dormitories and not outside so that they can intervene immediately in case of a danger.

"If the changes had been made earlier we would not have lost students like it happened at Endarasha Hillside Academy" he said.

The law maker says young and venerable learners should not be left alone. The matron should always sleep in the dormitory in order to intervene immediately in case of danger.

"Matrons should never sleep outside the dormitories," said Dawood.

The North Imenti MP promised to pay school fees for all the day secondary school students in the constituency from next year.

He said they will hold consultative meetings with all the school principals in a bid to come up with the best ways of paying for the fees.

Dawood said no student in the area will be expelled from school as a result of lack of fees noting students will only be required to cater for examination cost.

"Learners in day secondary schools will not be paying fees in the future. It will be paid by the CDF. We shall hold a consultative meeting with all the principals over the matter. Learners will not be expelled from school and will only be required to pay examination fees," noted the MP.

Furthermore he said there is a problem in the university funding model with many of his constituents being wrongly placed in band 5.

He called on the government to find a solution to the problem even if it means placing almost all the students in band one.

The MP advised the affected students to appeal against the placements.