Parent Lands in Chopper to Visit Form One Girl
Parent Lands in Chopper to Visit Form One Girl
In our capacity as teachers, we see and hear more about parents than most of you do. in particular, Form One parents. I can give you a few examples, particularly in situations where parents are really worried about their kids. Due to a few incidences of indiscipline, I recall that during my time in high school, our school briefly outlawed juice and snacks.
However, during the first several days following the reopening of schools, Abraham—we used to call him Rama—manoeuvred to smuggle in some mandazis.Rama claims that his mother once made mahamri and concealed them inside tissue paper. Haha! She would take the tissues off and place the food into plastic bags.
I used to wonder why Rama would buy so much tissue papers during the many months the ban was in place.Now that I was a teacher, I realized why. Finding a balance between being present for your children and overwhelming them with your presence is a challenge for parents.
However, there are situations when parents think that by being there for their kids at all times, it will help them adjust to school.”Is my daughter going to make it here? You are aware of her sensitive nature. After we admitted her kid to Form One, one parent expressed curiosity. “When can I see my daughter again?” We further requested and demanded that our school make unique visitor cards.
The cards admit only two parents throughout the year but a representative can be sent after the parent contacts the class teacher or principal. There was even one parent who wanted to always send a packed lunch every day but we assured her that all would be fine.
Now there was this one parent who missed the daughter’s admission and couldn’t wait until visiting day to see her. “Mwalimu you know I had travelled overseas,” he told me via a phone call. “And I won’t be around for the next six or seven months,” he added. I saw it as an exception as he expressed how worried he was about falling out of favour with the daughter.“In fact I even missed her birthday in December. But after the next six months I will be back home for quite some time,” he added.
We thought that he would show up at school as usual, like any other parent in a car or on foot and head towards the principal’s office then allow us to summon his daughter. However, he came with fanfare and called us while he was 10 minutes away, stating that he was about to land. He had passed by Co-op Bank, he said, to withdraw some cash.
However, he landed 30 minutes before lunchtime and thus we managed the situation. Students were eager to learn about the guests who had landed impromptu. Nonetheless, being situated in Nairobi, most of them were accustomed to such incidents as we admit students from different backgrounds. We usually inspect items brought into school by parents, and while interacting with Sophie’s father, ooh the daughter’s name is Sophie, we found a bunch of cash hidden inside an envelope.
For her pocket money, that is. In addition, I have enough money to pay for her entire academic year. The father said, “I heard the mother only paid for the first term. “She can use her pocket money without cash, sir. To the extent that we find that acceptable. The principal said, “We encourage parents to adopt technology,” and added that money loaded on a card was secure.
Parents may now acquire pupils a Co-op Bank CoopPay Card, sometimes known as a pocket money card. “This is a pre-paid Visa card that you may load in advance and give to your child so they can make purchases at the school canteen, which has a swipe machine.
“You can load the card from anywhere, anytime via Mpesa pay bill 400222 or the nearest Co-op Bank branch. Students can also withdraw cash while going home, from our school Co-op Agent,” the principal added. The parent asked whether he was supposed to have a Co-op Account to apply for a card.
You don’t, that’s true. In addition to printing mini statements from the closest Co-op ATM or Co-op Bank Agent, you will receive an SMS each time the card is used. As a result, you may monitor the times and locations at which the card is used,” we said, encouraging him to apply for the card at the closest Co-op Branch.We suggested that he use M-Pesa to pay the school fees to Co-op Paybill 400222.
“I guess then my purpose for visit was just to see her,” the father added as we laughed. After interacting with the student, before he flew out, the parent called me aside and stated that the wife had already given her daughter enough pocket money. “I will get a card for her by next week. My wife will drop it. She will also pay school fees via M-pesa pay bill,” he added. “Keep this envelope safe for yourself,” he added before he walked off with his aides.
