Take away all else but do not touch teachers’ dignity

Nowhere in education theory and practice is there doubt that the teacher is the ultimate authority in the classroom. These ‘executive powers’ can only be made less so by using more learner-friendly teaching methods, but cannot be ceded if any meaningful learning is to take place.

Unless the Education Ministry has proof to the contrary, when the learner is elevated to supervising the teacher, in any guise, the results can be chaotic. PointBlank, therefore, considers recent suggestions by the ministry that prefects will monitor and report teacher attendance misplaced. Please banish such ideas, Prof Sam Ongeri, and turn to bolstering tested monitoring and evaluation procedures.

Directives on school discipline should also be looked at afresh. The promise to strengthen guidance and counselling, after caning was banned in 2001, has turned out to be hot air. And the hands of school administrators are now tied as they can neither punish extreme indiscipline cases with suspensions or expulsions without incurring the wrath of their seniors in Nairobi. Can it get worse than this Prof?

Has post office offer been put off?

Three years ago the Postal Corporation of Kenya closed down a post office run by an agent at Kalawa Market, Mbooni constituency, says Mr Peter Mwanthi. But residents were assured all was not lost as officials promised better services with the opening of a fully-fledged post office to serve thousands of customers in Kalawa Division.

"To prove they were serious, they inspected buildings proposed for immediate occupancy," says Mwanthi.

That was the last they heard of the bigger and better post office. In the meantime, Mwanthi explains, "the poor residents" are forced to travel to Machakos town, 150km away, to buy postal orders, stamps, collect mail and seek other services that can only be offered by a post office. This, he says, has subjected them to great suffering and expense.

"We have sent reminders but they appear to have fallen on deaf ears. Frustrated residents plan to hold a peaceful demonstration in a fortnight to have the problem addressed," he says.

But Mwanthi hopes before then Postmaster-General Fred Odhiambo will provide answers on when residents will start receiving mail addressed to, ‘PO Box Kalawa’.