Consult school principals first, Govt told

By LORRAINE JIMAL
PROPER research and consultations should have been done with school principals before the Government reintroduced the free education policy, a former principal says.
Badihagwa Secondary School principal Maru Bala told The National that free education would help parents but it would have been better if the Government consulted principals first because they ran the schools.
“We are the people on the ground that will face the issues and the Government or minister should listen to us before making the decision of free education policy in the country,” he said.
The experience of free education under former prime minister Peter O’Neill left many school administrators skeptical because classrooms became overcrowded, there were not enough classrooms and teachers, not enough teaching and learning materials and fees often arriving late.
There were no consultations then and now, Bala said.
He said school fees should be a shared responsibility.
Parents, he said, had to be responsible for their children’s education and not depend on the Government alone.
“Many parents are taking the easy way out by not paying for project fees when the school asks them to do so,” he said.
Bala said parents were asked to pay when there were delays with funds from the Government.