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LOVE IS LOVE

Nancy Makena

By Nancy Makena,

A man can love a woman, a woman can be loved by a man, an old man can love a young teenager, a teenager can love him back, an elderly woman can love a young man, he can reciprocate the love, people of different social, financial classes can fall in love. You explain it by saying love is blind, but why are you not using that famous line on this? Why are you making this different? The mere thought of a 90 year old man sleeping with a 12 does not disgust you but this does. You definition of love is not being judged or condemned but the one that is in contrast to yours you term it as a sin. You are not playing fair…As humans we need to acknowledge diversity and difference. We need to understand that we do not and cannot live as per the principles of anyone. Yes, your religion might be against it but you cannot pass a judgement based on your beliefs. Is it fair that you imprison a Christian all because they slaughtered an animal considered to be holy in a different religion? One cannot control who they love Just as you claim when it favors your-love is blinds after all. Homophobic or not we have to accept the differences that exist among us. I cannot stop listening to Whitney Houston but it does not mean that I force anyone to listen to her or that I look down on the young generation artist who are giving their all the industry. Countries all over have started to embrace and accept their citizen’s difference in preference.(Netherlands-2000, Belgium-2003, Canada-2005, Spain-2005,South Africa-2006,Norway-2008,Sweden-2009,Portugal-2010, Iceland-2010, Denmark-2012, Uruguay-2013, Brasil-2013,New Zealand-2013, England and Wales-2013, France-2013, Luxembourg-2014, Scotland-2014, Ireland-2015, Fineland-2015, Greenland-2015, Colombia-2016, Malta-2017, Ausralia-2017, Germany-2017, Austria-2019, Taiwan-2019, Northen Ireland-2019,Switzerland-2021). The world is starting to open up to this and so should we at a personal level. It really hurt when my dear Edwin Chiloba faced a misfortune and all the homophobic people out there who felt pure and holy were busy typing insults without even asking, if their child had been in such a situation how they would feel. They based their arguments on religion yet they forgot that God loves as all equally; a thief a priest, a deacon, a prostitute all of us are equally loved and taken care of by God. They were busy quoting the creation theory that they forgot to read deeply into MATTHEW7:1-6.I strongly believe we should respect, accept, accommodate and acknowledge the differences that exist amongst us. Sheila Lumumba was just forgotten about as if what was done to her was right? We knew of her misfortune because of her boldness but just to ask how many SHEILA’S are out there suffering or might have suffered due to judgmental people out there. Surprisingly people would rather tweet against people loving each other but they don’t use their platforms top pressure the dead judicial service of KENYA to deal with the culprits who defile innocent girls but all that is done is postpone judicial settings until the illegitimate child is old enough to bear grandchildren for the bastard maybe lets talk about our malicious leaders, so instead of killing queer lives we focus our strength on rebuilding our nation and eradicating poverty. Trying not to be rude let me ask when did God, my dear savior hire any of his children to drive others into depression or into suicide or kill them all because they loved differently. The sarcasm of Kenyan churches when they came out to condemn queer people yet their own leaders are busy screwing choir children and women or the fact that a pastors is living lavishly and yet his congregation is living below a dollar. Let’s stop judging and accept others just as they respect us. Let’s leave all the judging to him who knows as all. Love boldly and never hide your true personality just because of petty guys who think they might be closer to God. LOVE IS LOVE.

Nancy Makena

This article is written by Nancy Makena, the views expressed here are hers.

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LOVE IS LOVE

Nancy Makena

By Nancy Makena,

A man can love a woman, a woman can be loved by a man, an old man can love a young teenager, a teenager can love him back, an elderly woman can love a young man, he can reciprocate the love, people of different social, financial classes can fall in love. You explain it by saying love is blind, but why are you not using that famous line on this? Why are you making this different? The mere thought of a 90 year old man sleeping with a 12 does not disgust you but this does. You definition of love is not being judged or condemned but the one that is in contrast to yours you term it as a sin. You are not playing fair…As humans we need to acknowledge diversity and difference. We need to understand that we do not and cannot live as per the principles of anyone. Yes, your religion might be against it but you cannot pass a judgement based on your beliefs. Is it fair that you imprison a Christian all because they slaughtered an animal considered to be holy in a different religion? One cannot control who they love Just as you claim when it favors your-love is blinds after all. Homophobic or not we have to accept the differences that exist among us. I cannot stop listening to Whitney Houston but it does not mean that I force anyone to listen to her or that I look down on the young generation artist who are giving their all the industry. Countries all over have started to embrace and accept their citizen’s difference in preference.(Netherlands-2000, Belgium-2003, Canada-2005, Spain-2005,South Africa-2006,Norway-2008,Sweden-2009,Portugal-2010, Iceland-2010, Denmark-2012, Uruguay-2013, Brasil-2013,New Zealand-2013, England and Wales-2013, France-2013, Luxembourg-2014, Scotland-2014, Ireland-2015, Fineland-2015, Greenland-2015, Colombia-2016, Malta-2017, Ausralia-2017, Germany-2017, Austria-2019, Taiwan-2019, Northen Ireland-2019,Switzerland-2021). The world is starting to open up to this and so should we at a personal level. It really hurt when my dear Edwin Chiloba faced a misfortune and all the homophobic people out there who felt pure and holy were busy typing insults without even asking, if their child had been in such a situation how they would feel. They based their arguments on religion yet they forgot that God loves as all equally; a thief a priest, a deacon, a prostitute all of us are equally loved and taken care of by God. They were busy quoting the creation theory that they forgot to read deeply into MATTHEW7:1-6.I strongly believe we should respect, accept, accommodate and acknowledge the differences that exist amongst us. Sheila Lumumba was just forgotten about as if what was done to her was right? We knew of her misfortune because of her boldness but just to ask how many SHEILA’S are out there suffering or might have suffered due to judgmental people out there. Surprisingly people would rather tweet against people loving each other but they don’t use their platforms top pressure the dead judicial service of KENYA to deal with the culprits who defile innocent girls but all that is done is postpone judicial settings until the illegitimate child is old enough to bear grandchildren for the bastard maybe lets talk about our malicious leaders, so instead of killing queer lives we focus our strength on rebuilding our nation and eradicating poverty. Trying not to be rude let me ask when did God, my dear savior hire any of his children to drive others into depression or into suicide or kill them all because they loved differently. The sarcasm of Kenyan churches when they came out to condemn queer people yet their own leaders are busy screwing choir children and women or the fact that a pastors is living lavishly and yet his congregation is living below a dollar. Let’s stop judging and accept others just as they respect us. Let’s leave all the judging to him who knows as all. Love boldly and never hide your true personality just because of petty guys who think they might be closer to God. LOVE IS LOVE.

Nancy Makena

This article is written by Nancy Makena, the views expressed here are hers.

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The many roots of least understood violence in Mozambique

Conflict erupted in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province just a few years after some of Africa’s biggest gas reserves were discovered in the Rovuma Basin off the coast. Mozambicans see this as no coincidence.

A new study by the Institute for Security Studies and the Judicial Training Institute of Mozambique conducted extensive field research in Cabo Delgado. It shows that citizens blame the discovery and bad governance of resources, notably natural gas and rubies, for the escalation of terrorism in the province. Over 4 000 people have been killed and 800 000 displaced due to the insurgency that broke out at the end of 2017.

Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique

In a survey of 309 people and 28 key informants, nearly half of the respondents said natural resources escalated the crisis. The announcements of US$60 billion investments in liquid natural gas came with promises of huge wealth and opportunity for the country. But locals feel marginalised by corrupt elites. Some have lost their land and livelihoods to the gas infrastructure built onshore. They are doubtful that these projects will reduce poverty and improve services.

Meanwhile, the discovery of some of the world’s largest ruby deposits in Cabo Delgado attracted fortune seekers and informal miners from across East Africa. They were chased away when multinationals took over the mine, leading to protests in 2019.

Asked to choose between a range of options, 45% of respondents said the main root cause of the insurgency was the discovery of rubies and natural gas. Another 4% mentioned the bad governance of natural resources. Far fewer people thought the availability of illicit arms (13%), economic marginalisation (6%) and elite greed (5%) were the primary causes.

This confirms that recruitment drives by the militant group Ahlu-Sunnah wal Jama’a (ASWJ), supported by Islamic State in Mozambique, were facilitated by the so-called natural resource curse. It not only increased inequality but raised the stakes in the province. What was initially a small radical group grew to become a major menace that drove away big multinationals like TotalEnergies.

Before the insurgency, Cabo Delgado was already notorious for illicit activities such as trafficking in drugs, timber and people, as well as ruby smuggling. The study however showed no significant links between the terror group and organised crime. So far, there is no indication that ASWJ’s main aim is to get its hands on this lucrative illicit business.

The strongest evidence linking insurgents to drug smuggling dates back to the 2021 seizure of 250 kg of heroin in a building formerly occupied by ASJW militants. No one was arrested, and no other evidence links the insurgency to the heroin trade, which has long been rife along this coastline.

More details

#Africa #Mozambique

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The many roots of least understood violence in Mozambique

Conflict erupted in Mozambique’s northern Cabo Delgado province just a few years after some of Africa’s biggest gas reserves were discovered in the Rovuma Basin off the coast. Mozambicans see this as no coincidence.

A new study by the Institute for Security Studies and the Judicial Training Institute of Mozambique conducted extensive field research in Cabo Delgado. It shows that citizens blame the discovery and bad governance of resources, notably natural gas and rubies, for the escalation of terrorism in the province. Over 4 000 people have been killed and 800 000 displaced due to the insurgency that broke out at the end of 2017.

Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique

In a survey of 309 people and 28 key informants, nearly half of the respondents said natural resources escalated the crisis. The announcements of US$60 billion investments in liquid natural gas came with promises of huge wealth and opportunity for the country. But locals feel marginalised by corrupt elites. Some have lost their land and livelihoods to the gas infrastructure built onshore. They are doubtful that these projects will reduce poverty and improve services.

Meanwhile, the discovery of some of the world’s largest ruby deposits in Cabo Delgado attracted fortune seekers and informal miners from across East Africa. They were chased away when multinationals took over the mine, leading to protests in 2019.

Asked to choose between a range of options, 45% of respondents said the main root cause of the insurgency was the discovery of rubies and natural gas. Another 4% mentioned the bad governance of natural resources. Far fewer people thought the availability of illicit arms (13%), economic marginalisation (6%) and elite greed (5%) were the primary causes.

This confirms that recruitment drives by the militant group Ahlu-Sunnah wal Jama’a (ASWJ), supported by Islamic State in Mozambique, were facilitated by the so-called natural resource curse. It not only increased inequality but raised the stakes in the province. What was initially a small radical group grew to become a major menace that drove away big multinationals like TotalEnergies.

Before the insurgency, Cabo Delgado was already notorious for illicit activities such as trafficking in drugs, timber and people, as well as ruby smuggling. The study however showed no significant links between the terror group and organised crime. So far, there is no indication that ASWJ’s main aim is to get its hands on this lucrative illicit business.

The strongest evidence linking insurgents to drug smuggling dates back to the 2021 seizure of 250 kg of heroin in a building formerly occupied by ASJW militants. No one was arrested, and no other evidence links the insurgency to the heroin trade, which has long been rife along this coastline.

More details

#Africa #Mozambique

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The Dark side of the DR Congo’s Coltan Wealth

Coltan is one of the world’s vital minerals, 60% of coltan reserves globally is found in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kivu province. This mineral is used in cell phones, laptops and other devices because of its ability to store and release electric energy.

In 2019, 40% of coltan supply came from the country. This has attracted informal and cheap sector jobs that involves children and other vulnerable teens.

Much of the minerals extracted in the country involves the manual labour of over 40,000 children and other teenage miners who have dropped out of school or have never had the opportunity to attend the school.

There are many health hazardous child miners face including abuse and other harassments. Occupational hazards include daily exposure to Radon, a radioactive substance associated with coltan, which has been associated to lung cancer.

Faustin Kantanga, a civil society leader in Bukavu, told the ENACT organised crime project that coltan mines were rife with prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases and rape, and that child miners were exposed to these risks. Those travelling long distances to smuggle coltan are also vulnerable to child traffickers and recruitment by armed groups.

https://youtu.be/kYqrflGpTRE

#Africa #DRC

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The Dark side of the DR Congo’s Coltan Wealth

Coltan is one of the world’s vital minerals, 60% of coltan reserves globally is found in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kivu province. This mineral is used in cell phones, laptops and other devices because of its ability to store and release electric energy.

In 2019, 40% of coltan supply came from the country. This has attracted informal and cheap sector jobs that involves children and other vulnerable teens.

Much of the minerals extracted in the country involves the manual labour of over 40,000 children and other teenage miners who have dropped out of school or have never had the opportunity to attend the school.

There are many health hazardous child miners face including abuse and other harassments. Occupational hazards include daily exposure to Radon, a radioactive substance associated with coltan, which has been associated to lung cancer.

Faustin Kantanga, a civil society leader in Bukavu, told the ENACT organised crime project that coltan mines were rife with prostitution, sexually transmitted diseases and rape, and that child miners were exposed to these risks. Those travelling long distances to smuggle coltan are also vulnerable to child traffickers and recruitment by armed groups.

https://youtu.be/kYqrflGpTRE

#Africa #DRC

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15-year-old Form Two student begs for school fees in city streets

Aschoolgirl who had been sent home over Sh29,177 fees arrears today ventured into city streets to beg for assistance from well-wishers.

Clad in her school uniform and displaying a bold banner, 15-year-old Mellan Njeri Njuguna of Kihumbu-ini Secondary School in Murang’a County said she was sent home on September 10 but her mother was unable to pay her fees.

When The Standard caught up with her around 1:45pm, the student and her friend had already covered sections of Langata Road, Parliament Road, Processional Way, Kenyatta Avenue, Moi Avenue and other city roads pleading for help and had barely raised Sh500.

“We arrived at the city centre around 8am. She is my friend and neighbour that is why I accompanied her since I know her and the family,” Mary Wanjiru who accompanied Njeri said.

The Form Two student says her wish is to get the money and go back to sit her end of term exams in a week’s time.

When contacted, her mother Anne Wangechi Mureithi said Njeri is her firstborn daughter and admitted that she is unable to raise school fees.

“I’m just a casual labourer and I’m the only one providing for her and other three siblings,” she claimed.

“She has been in and out of school and when she arrived home on September 10, I had no other option and that is how we decided to write the banner and allow her to travel from Ruiru to Nairobi,” added Wangechi.

When The Standard called the school, a secretary who responded to our inquiry said she was aware of the student’s case and that the girl was away with others who were sent home over fee arrears.

“It is true that she has been having challenges but the mother should have visited the school and talk to us,” she said.

Standard

#Kenya

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15-year-old Form Two student begs for school fees in city streets

Aschoolgirl who had been sent home over Sh29,177 fees arrears today ventured into city streets to beg for assistance from well-wishers.

Clad in her school uniform and displaying a bold banner, 15-year-old Mellan Njeri Njuguna of Kihumbu-ini Secondary School in Murang’a County said she was sent home on September 10 but her mother was unable to pay her fees.

When The Standard caught up with her around 1:45pm, the student and her friend had already covered sections of Langata Road, Parliament Road, Processional Way, Kenyatta Avenue, Moi Avenue and other city roads pleading for help and had barely raised Sh500.

“We arrived at the city centre around 8am. She is my friend and neighbour that is why I accompanied her since I know her and the family,” Mary Wanjiru who accompanied Njeri said.

The Form Two student says her wish is to get the money and go back to sit her end of term exams in a week’s time.

When contacted, her mother Anne Wangechi Mureithi said Njeri is her firstborn daughter and admitted that she is unable to raise school fees.

“I’m just a casual labourer and I’m the only one providing for her and other three siblings,” she claimed.

“She has been in and out of school and when she arrived home on September 10, I had no other option and that is how we decided to write the banner and allow her to travel from Ruiru to Nairobi,” added Wangechi.

When The Standard called the school, a secretary who responded to our inquiry said she was aware of the student’s case and that the girl was away with others who were sent home over fee arrears.

“It is true that she has been having challenges but the mother should have visited the school and talk to us,” she said.

Standard

#Kenya

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Cameroon Tries to Get Child Miners Back to School

FILE – A girl separates gold dust from sand extracted by miners at the Nadom Koundo site near the village of Kette, some 40 kms from the eastern Cameroonian town of Batouri, June 2, 2008. Authorities are attempting to get child miners back to school.

Authorities in Cameroon say they are attempting to remove thousands of children working in gold mines along the country’s eastern border.  Some of the children were displaced from the Central African Republic because of violence there and dropped out of school to mine gold for survival.

The 2021-2022 school year in Cameroon started Monday, and Cameroon’s Ministry of Basic Education says thousands of children have not returned to class in areas along the border with the Central African Republic.

The government says many of the children prefer working in gold mines.

Auberlin d’Abou Mbelessa is mayor of Batouri, a town on the border.

Mbelessa said his district wants all children to immediately leave gold mining sites and go to schools. He said village chiefs and religious leaders in Batouri have been asked to visit all houses, markets, farms, churches, mosques and mining sites to tell everyone that without education the future of children looks barren.

Mbelessa said at least 300 of the children and teenagers are Central African Republic citizens displaced by violence and insecurity following the C.A.R.’s December 2020 general election.

Among the kids who have refused to leave mining sites is 15-year-old Joseph Goumba. Goumba said he fled from the C.A.R. in January when rebels attacked the town of Bossangoa to protest the reelection of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

He said he relies solely on gold mining for a living.

Goumba says education is the best thing a child can be given but his preoccupation is to raise money and send it to his poor mother whose old age could not permit her to escape from the C.A.R. He said his father, who escaped with him, died in a gold mine in July and he has no one to count on for food and school needs.

Goumba said he earns $4 after 24 hours of work. Cameroon says there are over 400 mining sites on its eastern border, a majority of them illegal.

Corine Mvondo is a government labor official in Batouri. She said Cameroon will punish people who stop children from going to school.

She said Cameroon is a signatory to the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention which was adopted by the International Labor Organization on June 17, 1999. She said a 2011 Cameroonian law states that people involved in child labor are liable to prison time of 15 to 20 years and fines of up to $20,000.

Life in the gold mines is dangerous. The government says 27 miners died in May due to landslides.

Cameroon has promised to offer free primary education to children who leave the mines. But some of the children say they lack food and books. The government has not said if it will provide those things if the children return to school.

This article is from Voice Of America

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Cameroon Tries to Get Child Miners Back to School

FILE – A girl separates gold dust from sand extracted by miners at the Nadom Koundo site near the village of Kette, some 40 kms from the eastern Cameroonian town of Batouri, June 2, 2008. Authorities are attempting to get child miners back to school.

Authorities in Cameroon say they are attempting to remove thousands of children working in gold mines along the country’s eastern border.  Some of the children were displaced from the Central African Republic because of violence there and dropped out of school to mine gold for survival.

The 2021-2022 school year in Cameroon started Monday, and Cameroon’s Ministry of Basic Education says thousands of children have not returned to class in areas along the border with the Central African Republic.

The government says many of the children prefer working in gold mines.

Auberlin d’Abou Mbelessa is mayor of Batouri, a town on the border.

Mbelessa said his district wants all children to immediately leave gold mining sites and go to schools. He said village chiefs and religious leaders in Batouri have been asked to visit all houses, markets, farms, churches, mosques and mining sites to tell everyone that without education the future of children looks barren.

Mbelessa said at least 300 of the children and teenagers are Central African Republic citizens displaced by violence and insecurity following the C.A.R.’s December 2020 general election.

Among the kids who have refused to leave mining sites is 15-year-old Joseph Goumba. Goumba said he fled from the C.A.R. in January when rebels attacked the town of Bossangoa to protest the reelection of President Faustin-Archange Touadéra.

He said he relies solely on gold mining for a living.

Goumba says education is the best thing a child can be given but his preoccupation is to raise money and send it to his poor mother whose old age could not permit her to escape from the C.A.R. He said his father, who escaped with him, died in a gold mine in July and he has no one to count on for food and school needs.

Goumba said he earns $4 after 24 hours of work. Cameroon says there are over 400 mining sites on its eastern border, a majority of them illegal.

Corine Mvondo is a government labor official in Batouri. She said Cameroon will punish people who stop children from going to school.

She said Cameroon is a signatory to the Worst Forms of Child Labor Convention which was adopted by the International Labor Organization on June 17, 1999. She said a 2011 Cameroonian law states that people involved in child labor are liable to prison time of 15 to 20 years and fines of up to $20,000.

Life in the gold mines is dangerous. The government says 27 miners died in May due to landslides.

Cameroon has promised to offer free primary education to children who leave the mines. But some of the children say they lack food and books. The government has not said if it will provide those things if the children return to school.

This article is from Voice Of America

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Crash calendar after ‘Failed’ online learning in Kenya

Kenya’s education sector was hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic that paralysed learning in all levels, from primary school to universities in 2020.

After the first case was reported in the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the closing of all learning institutions in the country on March 15 in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

An Education Taskforce Committee on Covid-19 was also appointed by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to advise on reopening of schools and reorganisation of academic calendar.

Shift in learning method

What followed was a shift to online learning, which saw most of the high end private and international schools learners continue with their studies while thousands of learners especially in public schools went without learning for nine months. Some schools were sending assignments on emails and WhatsApp platforms.

The pandemic exposed the gap in the education system despite the government investing over Ksh32.2 billion ($292.7 million) in digital literacy programme in public schools since 2013.

So far, more than 1,168,798 electronic devices have been distributed to all 22,000 public primary schools.

Public school teachers complained of insufficient equipment to enable them to roll out digital classrooms.

In an effort to keep public school learners engaged, the government through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development rolled out broadcast lessons which learners have been following through radio and TV. in a partnership with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

However, the programme was faulted by stakeholders, especially the teachers Unions, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), for being shallow and ineffective.

An effort by the government to roll out community-based programmes across the country also failed after a parent moved to court to stop the rollout.

The programme had been designed by the education committee on Covid-19 pandemic to engage learners in their estates and villages.

The pandemic also caused national examinations to be postponed after teachers and stakeholders complained that candidates are not prepared.

In September 2020, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha released a crash 2020 academic calendar to enable schools to recover the “lost year”.

This lead to reopening of schools for Standard 8, Grade Four and Form Four in October 12.

The other learners opened in January.

The crash calendar saw Form Four students and Standard Eight pupils sit their national examinations in April.

Ministry of Education also contracted the 2021 school calendar to run from July to early 2022, with a view to having the school calendar revert to its traditional January to December schedule in January 2023.

Among the interventions made before reopening of schools was the development of health and safety protocol. Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr Julius Jwan said they also developed the Covid-19 prevention, control, and management training modules for education officials, teachers, learners, non-teaching staff, boards of management, parents, and the entire school communities.

Original article on The East African

#Africa #Education #Kenya

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Crash calendar after ‘Failed’ online learning in Kenya

Kenya’s education sector was hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic that paralysed learning in all levels, from primary school to universities in 2020.

After the first case was reported in the country, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the closing of all learning institutions in the country on March 15 in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.

An Education Taskforce Committee on Covid-19 was also appointed by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to advise on reopening of schools and reorganisation of academic calendar.

Shift in learning method

What followed was a shift to online learning, which saw most of the high end private and international schools learners continue with their studies while thousands of learners especially in public schools went without learning for nine months. Some schools were sending assignments on emails and WhatsApp platforms.

The pandemic exposed the gap in the education system despite the government investing over Ksh32.2 billion ($292.7 million) in digital literacy programme in public schools since 2013.

So far, more than 1,168,798 electronic devices have been distributed to all 22,000 public primary schools.

Public school teachers complained of insufficient equipment to enable them to roll out digital classrooms.

In an effort to keep public school learners engaged, the government through the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development rolled out broadcast lessons which learners have been following through radio and TV. in a partnership with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation.

However, the programme was faulted by stakeholders, especially the teachers Unions, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), for being shallow and ineffective.

An effort by the government to roll out community-based programmes across the country also failed after a parent moved to court to stop the rollout.

The programme had been designed by the education committee on Covid-19 pandemic to engage learners in their estates and villages.

The pandemic also caused national examinations to be postponed after teachers and stakeholders complained that candidates are not prepared.

In September 2020, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha released a crash 2020 academic calendar to enable schools to recover the “lost year”.

This lead to reopening of schools for Standard 8, Grade Four and Form Four in October 12.

The other learners opened in January.

The crash calendar saw Form Four students and Standard Eight pupils sit their national examinations in April.

Ministry of Education also contracted the 2021 school calendar to run from July to early 2022, with a view to having the school calendar revert to its traditional January to December schedule in January 2023.

Among the interventions made before reopening of schools was the development of health and safety protocol. Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr Julius Jwan said they also developed the Covid-19 prevention, control, and management training modules for education officials, teachers, learners, non-teaching staff, boards of management, parents, and the entire school communities.

Original article on The East African

#Africa #Education #Kenya