Gilgil MP Martha Wangari has pointed an accusing finger at the Ministry of Education over the current confusion among students joining Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).

The MP promised to raise the issue in Parliament next week when they resume sessions noting that the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) was turning out to be a major headache for parents.

She pointed to the directive that students joining JSS acquire new uniforms and learning materials terming this as unattainable.

Wangari noted that due to the harsh economic times coupled by the drought, many parents could not afford the demands being made by schools as students transitioned to Grade Seven.

“The schools are demanding new uniforms, desks and books and many of the parents cannot afford these illegal and unfair demands,” she said.

The MP warned that the Grade Seven students would face mental challenges in the coming days due to the crisis emerging from the new curriculum.

“These students sat for a national exam and even selected schools of their choice and this never happened and now they are studying 14 subjects which is too much,” she said.

Wangari was speaking in Gilgil town after handing over bursaries to tens of bright students from needy families in the constituency.

She noted that the recently released funds by the Treasury were not enough to address the issues of bursary with demand rising by the day.

“We had over 7,000 requests for bursary in Gilgil and this will rise to over 10,000 but the Treasury is yet to release all the CDF cash,” she said.

The MP said that her office, despite the emerging challenges, would continue to support the poor families adding that the drought and the Covid-19 pandemic had affected many families.

One of the parents, Francis Ng’ang’a noted that it was expensive for many parents to buy uniforms and learning materials for students joining Grade Seven.

“Many of us are peasant farmers who did not harvest anything due to the drought and the things needed in Grade Seven are beyond us,” he said.

A beneficiary Lucy Nyambura who garnered 336 marks in KCPE was all smiles after getting a four year scholarship through the Mp.

“This is a dream come true for me as I did not have any hope of joining secondary school due to lack of fees and I will make sure I deliver through good performance,” she said.