By Dennis Kirwa
Dear Waziri,
When the Gown Lost Its Glory
Also Read
Once upon a time, Waziri, the gown was a crown,
A symbol of achievement that brought even proud heads down.
When we were young, we viewed those photographs with awe,
University graduates in gowns were a sight that inspired us all.
We revered the gown, not because it was frightening to see,
But because of the heights it represented to you and me.
It belonged to those who had climbed education’s steepest hill,
Who had conquered examinations through determination and will.
A person in a gown commanded respect without a word,
For the story behind that attire was one the whole nation had heard.
It spoke of sleepless nights, sacrifice and pain,
Of failures turned into lessons and the courage to try again.
But today, Waziri, I ask: What has become of our gown?
The symbol of educational glory has slowly lost its crown.
From universities to village markets, its presence fills the air,
Sewn in roadside kiosks, with little regard for the dignity it ought to bear.
Today, gowns appear everywhere, their meaning fading away,
Worn by people of all ages for every celebratory day.
Sometimes poorly stitched, sometimes mismatched in sight,
Leaving us to wonder whether we still understand their significance right.
And then comes the child in PP2, barely five years old,
Dressed in a graduation gown as a bigger story unfolds.
By the time the child enters the graduation pavilion,
The ceremony may become a test of patience rather than an educational celebration.
Some are crying, some are sleeping, while others demand their uji,
Some stretch their hands towards Mummy, seated in the parents’ tent nearby.
Others can hardly understand the ceremony or the words being said,
Yet they wear the same symbolic attire once reserved for those who had reached greater educational heights.
Waziri, what message are we sending to the child?
That education is a journey of learning, or a celebration gone wild?
What milestone are we marking when a child can barely write their name?
What glory are we celebrating when the gown has become a childhood game?
Beyond the gown, another question demands our attention:
Has graduation become an educational milestone or a commercial invention?
Parents are reportedly paying thousands, sometimes as much as KSh 20,000,
For ceremonies marking the transition from PP2 to Grade One.
If such charges are being imposed, Waziri, who is protecting the parent?
Must a family pay heavily to prove that its child is academically competent?
Must we turn every classroom milestone into a costly affair,
Leaving those who cannot afford the charges to watch and despair?
Graduation was never meant to be a business bazaar;
It was meant to celebrate how far we had travelled and how high we had climbed.
It was the reward for years of struggle, for dreams that refused to die,
For the student who failed examinations but found the courage to try.
For the parent who walked barefoot, sacrificing comfort and pride,
So their child could wear that gown with dignity and stand upright.
It was for the student sent home because the school fees were unpaid,
For the borrowed books and notes, and the sacrifices quietly made.
For the lecturer whose criticism taught us lessons we did not understand,
For the student locked out of a hostel, yet determined to make a stand.
It was for rent unpaid, for meals missed along the way,
For borrowed educational materials that helped us survive another day.
For the tears, the prayers, the failures and the fight,
Until the gown finally rested on shoulders that had earned that right.
That was graduation, Waziri. That was the glory we knew,
A celebration of perseverance, of dreams pursued and made true.
It reminded us that education demands commitment and sacrifice,
And that the reward of knowledge is worth far more than its price.
Today, however, we risk turning that glory into a mockery,
Commercialising educational milestones at the expense of their history.
We risk diminishing the dignity of those who toil for years to succeed,
While turning the gown into a costume for every occasion and need.
Waziri, if this trend continues without reflection or restraint,
Then perhaps we must reconsider the symbols we proudly paint.
Let the Ministry develop guidelines that restore the gown’s rightful place,
Distinguishing early childhood celebrations from achievements earned through years of academic effort and grace.
If every child must wear a gown before learning to read,
What inspiration remains for the university student who struggles to succeed?
If graduation cakes are cut at six, with the whole village in celebration,
What becomes of the meaning of a hard-earned academic qualification?
What motivation do we offer the child who watches this display,
When the gown appears to be the destination rather than a milestone along the way?
How do we teach patience, discipline and the value of education,
When every small transition is treated as a final destination?
Waziri, let us not confuse progress with ceremony,
Nor mistake a photograph for academic victory.
Let children celebrate their growth in ways that are joyful and appropriate,
Without diminishing milestones that demand years of effort and dedication.
Let parents celebrate their children without financial intimidation,
And let schools nurture learning rather than commercialise celebration.
If the gown has lost its meaning beyond repair, let the Ministry lead the way:
Restore its significance or create clear distinctions in how we celebrate each educational milestone.
And if a different attire must be considered for university graduation, let that conversation begin,
But let us not rename a ceremony merely to conceal the loss of meaning within.
My appeal is not against children celebrating their progress,
Nor against schools recognising effort and success.
It is a call for proportion, dignity and reason,
For an education system that respects every stage and every season.
Hon. Julius Ogamba, Waziri, return the glory of education to Kenya.
Let the gown once again stand for achievement, perseverance and victory.
Let our classrooms produce knowledge, not merely occasions to celebrate,
And let our children understand that true success takes time, effort and a willingness to persevere.
For a nation that trivialises its symbols risks trivialising its values,
And a generation that celebrates the destination before the journey may never learn what achievement truly entails.
Let us restore the dignity of the gown.
Let us restore the seriousness of our education.
Let us restore the meaning of graduation.
Yours in defence of educational dignity,
-Mr Dennis Kirwa’s contact is kirwa229@gmail.com
