This archive report was first published on 7 December 2019.
On December 7, 2019, the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) taskforce report highlighted the need for parents to take responsibility in bringing up the nation's children. The report's findings come at a time when child abuse, depression, and incest appear to be at an all-time high. Many parents are turning to alternatives such as home-schooling, citing the rising levels of indiscipline among children and the costs of expensive private schools.
Home-schooling has been successfully practiced for centuries, with pioneer Liz Gitonga and other families in Kenya home-schooling their children for over 25 years. Despite this, the choice is still not appreciated, as evident in the case of Silus Were and his family, who were arrested and arraigned in court for home-schooling their children.
However, home-schooling offers a wide range of benefits, including personalized teaching, structured lesson plans, field trips, and regular tests. Children who learn at home are less exposed to peer pressure and bullying, resulting in better academic performance and higher self-esteem. Universities like the United States International University are increasingly accepting home-schooled teenagers who can pass their entrance exams.
As the country develops competency-based curriculum for public schools, it is essential to recognize and strengthen home-schooling as an option. This option must operate within the Constitution, the Education Act, and the Children's Act. The Ministry of Education and Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development should consider engaging in talks with home-schooling institutions on mandatory registers, quality and safety assurance monitoring, accreditation, and support.
According to educationalist James Beattie, the purpose of education is to enable us to think for ourselves rather than to load us with the thoughts of others. There is no reason why home-schooling should be discouraged.
