I remember when my daughter “graduated” from her pp2 class. We had to part with ksh 6,000 for her gown, food and drinks and what have you. A gown that came complete with the “hat” like someone that was graduating her masters. As if the 6,000 was not enough, her father had to fly in all the way from the coast, thousands of kilometers away. And because it was “her day,” she requested to be taken for swimming and “please can we have some burgers from burger king?” A pitiful looking burger from that place costs a thousand shillings by the way.
On average, we spent more than we ever did when I graduated from college.
When and how did this culture start? Every end of year parents gather in decorated fields and school courtyards to watch their five-year-olds don miniature gowns and mortarboards for graduation from PP2. It is now no longer a simple celebration of early childhood milestones but rather a full-blown production complete with hired tents, photographers, printed programs, matching outfits and sometimes in some cases entrance fees. Which is why any sane thinking parent finds the Ministry of Education’s recent directive banning PP2 graduations to be a timely and necessary reset.
Over the years, these ceremonies have become a competition over who can stage the most glamorous event. Let us be honest, these have become mini-weddings where parents are asked to contribute money for décor, food, entertainment, and – wait for it – gifts for teachers. Gifts….for your 5 year old’s teacher. I mean, gifts are good and all, but are they not supposed to be voluntary? For families already burdened by the cost of living, this is an unnecessary financial strain. Especially since the same children will soon transition into Grade One in the same school. Where did all this consumerism culture come from?
What is it we are graduating children from at age five? CBC early learning is designed to flow effortlessly from pre-primary to lower primary. There is no academic threshold or qualification being marked. Only a developmental progression. Turning that into a formal graduation misrepresents the structure of the system and sends mixed messages about what education truly celebrates. It is not a completion of something but rather growth.
The directive also brings to light our obsession with ceremonies at the expense of substance. By discouraging events that consume valuable class time during the crucial third term, the Ministry reinforces discipline and focus, especially in schools preparing for national examinations. Because previously third term would host these meaningless graduations, prayer days for form fours and class eights, mara visiting days….i mean, how much deeper should parents dig into their pockets on top of the exorbitant fees they are already paying?
Moreover, this move protects teachers from the mounting social pressures that come with organizing these events. They have to deal with administration demands, parental expectations and spending hours rehearsing songs and dances instead of planning lessons. At a time when KSCE and KCPE awaits. At least now teachers can redirect their energy to preparing learners for a smooth transition to Grade One and maintaining classroom stability during the high-pressure end-of-year period.
Young learners can still be celebrated in small, meaningful ways within their classrooms minus all the pomp and pageantry. But most importantly, thank God we can now cut on the unnecessary spending. The Ministry’s stand is a firm statement that our children’s education should be grounded in purpose and not in the fleeting glitter of a five-year-old’s “graduation gown.”
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