KNUT Secretary General concerned over interruption of learning by Azimio protests

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu is a worried man.

He is concerned by interruption of learning activities in some parts of the country during the each Monday and Thursday Azimio protests.

In Kisumu County for instance; primary, secondary, college and university learners stay at home during the twice per week demos, to escape the wrath of protesters or police.

The same can be said of learners in slum areas in the Capital, Nairobi, such as Mathare and Kibra.

Those who go to schools in the aforementioned areas on Monday and Thursday are turned back, a situation Oyuu says continues to work to the disadvantage of the innocent learners.

“It is just the beginning of the term that we have begun to normalise the school calendar after COVID-19 disruptions," Oyuu said in a statement.

"In addition, grade six pupils have just transitioned to junior secondary schools, a process with its own challenges. Class eight pupils are preparing for KCPE. We feel the mass action is not timely at this particular time," he added.

He urged President William Ruto and Azimio leader Raila Odinga to dialogue in order to broker a deal for peace to normalcy to prevail across the country.

"These demonstrations have adversely affected the smooth running of the education calendar in the affected cities and towns more so schools situated in slums. We, therefore, call upon the involved parties to embrace dialogue to enable our school calendar to proceed uninterrupted."

Grade six, class eight and form four learners are expected to sit for national examinations at the end of the year.