Renowned Inooro TV breakfast presenter Kamau Wa Kang'ethe has sought to clear the air after a section of social media users accused him of 'arrogantly' reprimanding parents who are unable to raise school fees for their children joining Form One.
Kang'ethe, who co-hosts 'Inooro Rucini' TV show alongside Njoroge Wa Githinji had on Tuesday wondered how some parents take their kids through primary school for eight years while not putting up solid plans on how they would educate them in high school.
"It takes eight years currently for any child in Kenya to go through primary school. Every parent is aware that class 8 is not the end of schooling. How then comes that a parent fails to plan ahead of time for the child's secondary school education?" Kamau said during the Tuesday's morning show.
The presenter's sentiments were, however, received differently by the station's fans who even took to social media to accuse him of 'arrogance' arguing that some parents live in 'abject poverty' and only survive from 'hand to mouth'.
Others opined that some parents are unable to cater for their children joining Form One because they have continuing children in high school or other institutions of higher learning leaving their family resources 'overstretched' to the core.
At the same time, there are those who firmly defended the veteran presenter who also hosts the popular Inooro FM 'Ngogoyo' radio show (Sundays, 12 noon-4pm) saying that he was taken out of context.
They said that Kang'ethe was speaking to 'overtly irresponsible' parents and guardians who never bother to plan for their children's future.
In an exclusive interview on Wednesday evening, Kang'ethe agreed with the latter group's sentiments saying "I think some people misunderstood me".
"Our role as the media is to reason together and do the right thing for our people. Frankly speaking, is there a Kenyan adult parent who for the last eight years has not earned at least Sh5,000 which they can use as a headway to securing their children's admission in Form One as they look for the rest?" Kang'ethe asked.
He added: "I intended to have the message empower our parents so that we can form a habit of saving something for our kids' education because there is nothing for free in this life. As I always urge everyone I meet, poverty is a thing of the mind which we must do everything to break away from. This can, however, happen if only we are frank, candid and honestly straightforward with ourselves."
The former BBC World Service news presenter noted that some wayward people in the advent of open media platforms have resorted to posing as destitute when they are not, only to 'unfairly gain from our increasingly generous society'.
He was, however, quick to note that there exists 'genuine cases' of vulnerable parents and families whom he urged every member of the society not to 'shy away from assisting'.
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