Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has blamed parents for the rise of COVID-19 infections in learning institutions.
Education PS Belio Kipsang said parents were infecting their children with COVID-19.
Kipsang said irresponsible parents and guardians were picking the virus from bars or social gatherings and bringing it home to the learners who were, in turn, taking it to their peers in school.
Appearing before the National Assembly, the PS said the major indiscipline was on the side of the adults who were violating COVID-19 rules.
“Our children are becoming victims of our indiscipline. We as adults go out there to the bar, and carry the disease to the children at home who take it to the children in schools,” he said.
While responding to whether the government will donate masks to school children, Kipsang said it was not feasible for the government to do so while reiterating parents will have to bear such costs.
He said with 15 million students being in school, it means the government will need KSh 1 billion every three months to provide at least two masks to every child.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe who was also in the meeting said only needy learners will get free face masks.
It is a month since Grade Four, Class Eight and Form Four learners resumed learning on Monday, October 12.
A number of schools have recorded positive cases of coronavirus with both teachers and students falling victims of the disease.
A week ago, at least 68 students of Bahati Girls Secondary School tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CEC) in charge of Health Services Kariuki Gichuki said tests conducted at the learning institution also found that some five teachers had contracted the virus.