Kapenguria
Thursday April 4, 2024
KNA by Richard Muhambe
West Pokot County Director of Education (CDE) Simon Wamae has challenged parents in the region to give their children maximum support for enhanced quality education in schools in the region.
Speaking during Nasokol Girls’ High School Annual General Meeting (AGM) and closing day on Wednesday, Wamae said what makes a parent proud is through ensuring their children acquire education uninterruptedly through fulfilling their obligations as financiers.
“What makes a parent proud is by paying school fees on time so that their children can enjoy their stay in school. School programmes are always packed hence any moment missed means a lot to the life of a student,” noted the CDE regretting that the school fees payment was still low at between 30 to 40 percent which cripples school smooth operations.
Wamae argued that for any success in life it always comes at a cost hence parents should never slug in helping finance school programmes for quality learning.
He regretted that some parents have very knowledge about their children’s needs due to their inconsistent contacts with them because of desires to seek for wealth.
“As parents we might be so busy always seeking for material gains but without investing in your children’s wellbeing, the wealth so much sought after may be squandered by the same children whom we failed to provide mentorship. Failure to play our roles as parents is even against God’s will,” he advised.
The CDE urged parents to invest in molding values and morals amongst their children for a sustainable future generation reiterating that the society is currently in need of upright and holistic individuals.
Wamae underscored the value of both academic and co-curricular activities in schools noting that the current shift to Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) is geared to address the gaps that have been existing in the education training.
“I am delighted that this school has been identified as a powerhouse for sports and talents. This coupled with academic excellence, we shall be proud of bringing forth remarkable girls that will stand out boldly even globally,” said the education boss.
Nasokol Girls’ High School is scheduled to represent the Rift Valley Region in the Basketball national championship to be held in Machakos County starting next week after emerging champions in the competition held inKapsabet last week.
Meanwhile the school principal Mrs Susan Obiri called on the parents to expedite their roles even after the various education stakeholders giving out bursaries from different kitties to the learners from the region.
Acknowledging the West Pokot County government for supporting 532 students with bursaries of Sh20,000 each, Mrs Obiri regretted that some parents once they get the support they never pay the remaining fee balances.
“The county government has been our great partners for it has cushioned many of our students from vulnerable backgrounds within the region. The over Sh10million in bursaries has enabled the school run its education programmes well although the amount paid for each student leaves some fee balances that our parents can meet with little effort,” she observed mentioning that the parents currently owe the school over Sh12,941,953, an amount if paid promptly will improve service delivery.
She recalled that 2023 was a difficult year for the school owing to the hiked food prices calling on parents to honour their fee payment pledges this year.
The principal further lauded the Sh624,000 from the Kapenguria National Government – Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) as support for the children from the constituency together with other private partners such as Equity Bank Wings to Fly, Elimu Scholarships among others.
At the same time Mrs Obiri decried over what she said was the congestion occasioned by the high enrolment this year where 707 form one students were admitted putting strain on the existing resources in the school.
“We currently have a total population of 1833 girls with 30 streams and only 75 teachers. Adding this figure together with the support staff we can talk of having a fraternity of over 2,000 people within the school. This has strained our water resources which calls for an uplift,” stated the principal appealing to willing partners to come on board to help in construction of a mega borehole for uninterrupted water supply within the institution.
Board of Management (BOM) Chair Amb. Steven Loyatum hailed parents for having trust in the school that started as early as 1936 as boarding primary school before creation of the girls’ secondary school over five decades now.
“I stand tall as one of the first alumnus of the school when it started as a primary school. We have had notable individuals passing through this school such as a renowned World Marathon gold medalist Peace Amb. Tegla Loroupe. We need to produce more ambassadors and women leaders from this school, which many consider to be a national school,” posed Amb. Loyatum.
In last year’s KCSE, one student missed an A Plain by one point with a total of 116 students attaining direct university entry points.