Power to play? Naivasha parents disappointed by PP2 graduation gown

Graduating from university is a significant milestone, as it marks the start of the famous bridge role education plays to guide us to success. 

This transition is often a mix of excitement and uncertainty, but honestly speaking, what excitement and uncertainty does a PP2 pupil have if she/he is only taking a break for two months and comes back to continue with the same education?

At a recent PP2 graduation event in a school in Naivasha, some parents shared concerns about the quality of gowns provided to the nursery students. 

Many felt the gowns didn’t justify the high fees they were required to pay, making the event feel exploitative.

Hilda Wanjiru, a parent, expressed disappointment with the cost versus quality of the gowns, describing them as cheaply made from lining material. 

"When I saw my daughter in her gown, I thought it was a lining for the actual cotton gown. I couldn’t believe it was the actual gown, especially since it cost me Sh.1,500,” she says.

Wanjiru was dissatisfied with the mandatory fees, which were said to cover a cake, two books, and a pencil. 

Another parent, Margaret Watetu, criticizes the graduation as feeling imposed on parents, describing it as more of an "extortion scheme." 

She notes, “The fees are already burdensome for parents struggling financially. The least they could do is provide quality gowns.”

While both parents recognize that the PP2 graduation brings joy to the children, they wish there were clearer guidelines on what costs parents should bear for such events.