Teachers Raise Transport Concern Ahead of School Reopening

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has asked the government to temporarily lift the ban on night travel ahead of the school reopening on Monday, January 4.Speaking to a local media house, Kuppet Secretary-General Akelo Misori noted that some teachers and students, who have been posted in some counties, would take almost two days to travel.”The government should temporarily lift the ban on night travel for passenger vehicles to facilitate free movement of people and avoid overcrowding from now until schools reopen,” Misori stated. Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori speaking during a past press briefingFile He also called upon the government to come up with policies to ensure the smooth resumption of learning by students. He alluded that students would need time to readjust to the curriculum due to the months they have been out of school.Touching on key issues such as teenage pregnancies, Misori noted that the government would have to come up with innovative ways to ensure that all students are catered for.Furthermore, he noted that the majority of the students had been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. “There is a need for policies to mitigate these factors with school boards and principals empowered to come up with innovative ways of keeping learners in school. “Local support groups including the constituency development funds and well-wishers should contribute to targeted programmes to aid poor families such as school feeding and bursaries,” he stated.This comes after the Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha recently confirmed that schools were ready to allow all students to join the Grade 4, Class 8 and Form 4 students.He noted that school principals would have to come up with innovative ways such as allowing students to learn under trees in order to comply with the social distancing directive issued by the Ministry of Health. Education CS George Magoha addresses the media in October 2020File