Schools have started restricting visits by parents and guardians ahead of national examinations, saying teachers require ample time to cover the syllabus and prepare candidates for the tests.
The barriers are in line with the Ministry of Education directive that banned various activities in the third term, including annual general meetings, prize giving, and prayer days.
Apart from giving teachers enough time to prepare learners for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination and its primary school sister KCPE, the restrictions were arrived at to curb cheating in the national tests that are the gateway to more advanced learning and careers.
A school in the wider Nyanza region told parents and guardians this week that even motivational speeches and events have been suspended until January 2023.
“Parents and other visitors are not allowed in school from now till end of KCSE, (that is) 23/12/2022. In case of any emergency or serious sickness that requires a parent, the Chief Principal must be informed to give direction,” said the message.
Consultations with teachers should be done on phone, the communication went on, sending a clear warning that access has been denied.
The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) will begin on November 28 and end on November 30 while KCSE will start on November 18 and end on December 23.
Schools, teachers, and learners are under a lot of pressure to do well in exams, a situation that has delivered controversial KCSE results where schools with hundreds of students at Form Four send almost the entire class to university.
Such stellar performances have divided the country right in the middle with opposers saying the results do not represent the natural reality while the other group says it is possible, especially with A-list students from Class 8.
Some thoughts have faulted schools for making students dull by insisting on drilling to pass exams, a situation that has killed both co- and extra-curricular activities.
