ACCESSING HOME STUDY MATERIALS

 THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION REQUIRING PARENTS TO COLLECT HOME STUDY MATERIALS FROM SCHOOLS IS NOT APPROPRIATE.

The Ministry of Education has informed the general public that Home Study Materials for learners will be collected from schools where the learners attend.

This development has a number of shortcomings. It is true that some schools are no longer operational following the COVID - 19 lockdown.  Secondly, many parents took learners in March 2020 when they had uncleared balances at schools for first term. It may be opportunity for some schools to use that as opportunity to recover the fees dues before issuing out the learning materials. Though some schools may not demand the fees balances, some parents may fear going to the schools to collect the learning materials. It is also not clear whether the parent may not bounce on getting to the school if there was no prior arrangement that he or she is coming. It is also a fact that to some parents, getting to the schools may be a big expense given what they are going through since the lockdown given that some income generating occupations are still under lockdown. Transport fares for most routes were doubled. It is also true that given the COVID - 19 developments, many learners previously registered at certain schools may not be taken to belong to them anymore. It is wrong to burden schools for learners who in theory are registered in certain schools but when in fact they are not likely to return to those schools more so given the challenges many school administrators are going through.

The convenient option should be:

Parents should go to their LC1 Chairperson or offices, register the name of the learner, the class and school. If deadlines are given for this exercise, the LC1 should be able to get these returns to the LC3 or its equivalent from where they would be sent to the Districts.

The Ministry should be able to send study materials for each district according to the learners registered per class or other categories. From the district, each LC1 should be able to get materials for the learners as per the registration that was submitted. The parent then would find it convenient to collect the materials for his child.

William Kituuka