With schools now closed and children settled into the rhythm of the long holiday, a familiar pattern is quietly taking shape in many households: books tucked away, routines relaxed and academic learning largely paused. For parents, this break is often seen as well-earned rest for their children. Yet beneath this pause lies a less visible risk; the gradual erosion of foundational numeracy skills that are critical to a child’s development. Foundational numeracy is often misunderstood as classroom mathematics—worksheets, exams and correct answers. In reality, it is far more practical and deeply woven into everyday life. It is the ability to make sense of numbers in ordinary situations: sharing food equally among siblings, calculating change at a shop, estimating how long a journey will take, or deciding whether there is enough money to buy a desired item. These are not school exercises; they are life skills. And during the holidays, children encounter these situations more fre...
Six weeks after Grade 10 students across the country reported to school, Meshack Lemerian remains at home in Enenkeshiu Village, Kilgoris Constituency, Transmara West Subcounty, not by choice, but because his family cannot afford to send him to school. Meshack, who is visually impaired, successfully sat for his KJSEA examination at Kilgoris DEB Special School. His performance earned him admission to a special secondary school in the Meru region, where he is expected to join Grade 10. However, financial constraints have stalled his transition. Speaking to the media at their rural home, his mother, Everline Mutemperia, expressed both pride in her son’s achievement and distress over their inability to raise the required funds. “My son worked very hard despite his condition. He was called to join school, but we have not been able to take him because we do not have the money,” she said. The family says the delay has been painful, especially at a time when the government has emph...