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Back To School Reality Check For Parents After Christmas And New Year Merry

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After pomp and colour characterised with fine wine, fine whisky, champagne, many many beers, Nyama Choma and other niceties that marked the beginning of 2022, parents with children in school are back to reality in life.

Schools are re-opening today, Tuesday, January 4, 2022, for the third term, and it will be tough for those who did not save for fees, or clear their bills in December, including school fees.

After schools closure in early December, most parents went big for parties popular in the festive season when many families travel upcountry and others to the sandy beaches to wrap up the year.

“We are back to town and life must continue. We will deal with fees and other challenges,” said Mariam Juma a resident of Mombasa, even the landlord will have to wait. This is January.

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More challenging is the fact that the calendar year 2022 has four terms. This follows a government directive that this year will have four academic terms to cover for time lost during the lockdown that started in March 2020 forcing the closure of schools for the rest of the year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“After partying for Christmas and New Year, we are back to dig deeper in our pockets for fees and other bills. It is indeed a tough time. I hope the school will agree to have instalments,”  said Juma.

Schools were set to re-open Tuesday for the third term, a continuation from the 2021 academic year and they are expected to close for a few days late February or early March in preparation for the first term followed by the second and third terms–all within this calendar year of 2022.

Traditionally, each academic and calendar year has three terms. 2022 will be hectic for students and parents in terms of learning and ensuring we have the fees on time.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha said the regular academic year will commence in January 2023. With the myriad cases of school arson witnessed last year, parents have called upon the ministry of education to put in place measures to end the menace.

Children require counselling and monitoring so that they have proper coping mechanisms to withstand the pressure when it comes to the tight school calendar. Others, however, believe schools have the responsibility to tame arson in schools.

Mariam Juma confesses that some parents up to now haven’t been able to understand the current unfamiliar changes in the school timetable.

In the streets of Mombasa, the activities were calm and normal just like any other normal where the business was slow may be due to Christmas and New Year festivals.

One Abdi from Marikiti Market in Mombasa selling school uniforms lamented the business is not doing well despite being the new school term.

“Am not really shocked. I knew by last year that the business won’t be that good, however, I did not expect it to be this low. Imagine since morning only three customers have come,” said Abdi.

Lilian Chelang’at, a student and candidate at Ng’iya Girls School was upbeat about resuming school after a one-week break bearing in mind that she will be among the thousands of candidates sitting for KCSE in March this year.

“I believe that I am well prepared for my KCSE but am a bit nervous because this exam is not just like any other exams but it will be able to decide whether I will be joining the university or not,” she said.