Parents in last-minute shopping rush, complain of short school break

Noven Owiti and Viola Kosome

Parents in Kisumu were at the weekend in a last-minute rush to prepare their children to go back to school for the new academic year.

There were long queues at bookshops and school uniform stores.

But even as the shops recorded booming business,  some shoppers complained of high prices.

Some parents complained about the short school holiday break, saying it had piled financial pressure on parents.

John Odindo, who has two children in boarding school, said paying school fees had become a big challenge for him. He said he was lucky to have received a bursary from the Kisumu East’s NG-CDF.

“If it were not for the bursary, I don’t know what I would have done. The government should have extended the break to enable us get money,” he said.

Jenifer Otieno said the short holiday had disadvantaged many parents especially because of the prevailing harsh economic conditions.

“Many parents who rely on salaries have to wait until the end of the month to obtain money. This means they have to reorganise themselves to ensure their children report to school on time,” Otieno said.

But Joyce Achieng said the one-week break was sufficient, adding that children should not spend too much time at home.

Achieng said that when children are idle, some of them engage in harmful activities.

“I know the holiday period has been short but as parents we have to sacrifice for our children to take them back to school.

I congratulate the government for giving a one-week holiday since the children overstayed at home last year,”she said.

She added that she feels more at ease when her children are in school than when they are at home since there are more restrictions in school.