Just a day after a court issued an order to temporarily suspend Community Based Learning program that was scheduled to officially kick off on September TSC has come out to respond on the issue.
A circular seen by Teachers Arena by a TSC county director in Kitui County Director directing the Curriculum Support Officers (CSO’s) says it all.
“Please note that the Community Based Learning programme (CBL) has been called off until further notice. You are requested to inform all the teachers to stay at home till advised otherwise,” read part of the document sent to Kitui county CSO’s.
Yesterday Justice James Makau temporarily stopped Education CS George Magoha from implementing the Community Based Learning Project that was to be launched countrywide starting September 1st.
A parent by the name Joseph Aura had argued that as a parent since the state ordered for closure of schools due to Covid-19 in March, his children and others across the country have been at home indefinitely.
Mr Aura also wanted the CS compelled to reopen schools for third term.
“I have lodged these proceedings as a parent on behalf of my children and on behalf of millions of voiceless children enrolled similarly in learning institutions across the country,” Aura said.
The father of three said in-person learning is the best when it comes to the education of children rather than virtual or any other method.
Aura wants the court to order Magoha reopen all schools from September this year for the next academic term.
He further wants the court to compel Health CS Mutahi Kagwe to reopen of all play areas and recreational centres for all children across the country.
“The oppressive psychological and mental torture inflicted on the school going children because of the open-ended closure of schools effected by the ministry from March till now has gravely injured them,” reads the court documents.
Through Lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Aura says many countries who had high number of Covid-19 cases have since reopened their schools and Kenya should also follow suit.
Some of counties he cited include France, Japan, Nigeria, Tanzania, Senegal, Gambia, Namibia, Ghana among others even though some opened partially for finalists.
It will be interesting to see how other counties will respond to this latest activity. Teachers were expected to be trained on 28th of August before officially taking part in the program in September.