Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Prof George Magoha, said the Ministry has not suspended the registration of newly established schools.

Prof Magoha said contrary to assertions by some people, schools that meet the requisite requirements are being registered upon, thorough inspection by quality assurance officers and other relevant authorities.

“Leaders should stop the tendency of establishing new schools in a haphazard manner and expect the government to post teachers to such institutions, some which does not meet the required standards. What we are saying is that all schools which are ready for registration and managers have submitted registration applications should be registered,” he stressed.

Speaking, Monday, when he officiated groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation of Salabani Primary School funded by Child Fund Kenya at a cost of Sh 30 million in Marigat Sub County, the CS insisted that starting schools within a short distance is what is being discouraged.

The Cabinet Secretary was responding to a local member of County Assembly, Francis Kibai, who had requested the CS to waive registration requirement for more schools to be established in the region.

In the function attended by among others Labour CS Simon Chelugui and Governor Stanley Kiptis, the CS thanked Child Fund for sponsoring the reconstruction of the school at the new site after the original institution was submerged by rising water levels of Lake Baringo.

The nonprofit international organization will construct eight classrooms, two ECDE classes with tiles, an administration block and six pit latrines in addition to supplying 400 desks, 170 chairs and 45 tables.

Child Fund Africa Regional Director Chege Ngugi said that the construction work is expected to be complete by February or March in readiness for occupation in May next year.

Mr Ngugi said that Child Fund was committed to helping children throughout the world especially those living in the poorest places improve their lives through education.

Area legislator, Charles Kamuren, while commending the organization for funding reconstruction of the school regretted that some other learning institutions in the region have been lost after being submerged in water occasioned by rising water levels in Lake Baringo, citing Lake Baringo girls which is currently deep inside the water.

He also expressed concern that enrollment in parts of the constituency have drastically gone down due to rampant attacks from bandits and cattle rustlers who raid the region at will.

Governor Kiptis in his address called for the establishment of more boarding facilities, especially in Tiaty, parts of Baringo North and Baringo South to boost retention of children and completion rate, citing Tiaty Constituency where only 10 per cent of those who join class one at any given time successfully sit standard eight exams.

Prof Magoha early in the morning led a multi sectoral door to door campaign to mop-up children who have not joined Form One where four were rescued at Kaprogonya and Kapkut Estates in the outskirts of Kabarnet town and enrolled at Kituro Secondary School in Baringo Central.

The CS accompanied by his Labour and Social Protection counterpart, Simon Chelugui, and Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS), Patrick ole Ntutu, noted with concern the low transition rate registered by the County which stand at 80 per cent.

He took to task education officials in the County for sleeping on the job and gave them ultimatum up to Friday to ensure the remaining 20 per cent of the children were sought and taken to school.

“We would like to see all children reporting to school in this County, latest by Friday and if they are not in school why are they missing out,” he said.

Prof Magoha, said he does not understand why Rift Valley region has only managed 84 per cent transition rate, situation he blamed on lack of supervision by education officials.

Government Officers have been asked to observe rules and regulations of the public service and endeavor to perform their duties to the best of their abilities in order to achieve the required standards in service delivery.

The PS was speaking at his Jogoo House Office when he met with 26 new officers from his Ministry. University Education and Research PS Amb. Simon Nabukwesi noted that by observing the rules and ethics, officers will be responsible and ensure that they accomplish their assignments as expected of them and in time.

The officers included 22 Education Officers from the Directorate of University Education (DUE) and four from the Directorate of Research Science and Technology (DRST).

The Officers, most of them former school principals and senior teachers were recruited by the Ministry early in the year.

Amb. Nabukwesi said it is crucial for civil servants to interact and bond, as they share successes and challenges, during their service delivery.

“Sharing experiences at work, provides an environment for right mentorship and mainstreaming in the government,” he said.

The PS encouraged the officers not to shy away from seeking any clarification from their immediate Directors and other senior colleagues, who have served in the Ministry longer.

Amb. Nabukwesi said he was glad to have a group of energetic officers, especially at a time when there are concerns over the wide age gap between the current top management and junior civil servants serving, thus posing a challenge of succession and continuity after the senior officers retire from the service.

The PS reminded the officers to observe punctuality and act promptly on any assignments allocated to them in order to meet the set deadlines and enhance service delivery.

He reminded the staff that the Ministry of Education has a huge mandate in serving the citizens on matters of education and therefore so much commitment is expected from them to deliver the Ministry’s services.

The PS said an induction for the new personnel will be conducted at a later date. During yesterday’s meeting, the officers were taken through training on security of Government Communication by officers from the National security.

Present at the meeting   was the Director Human Resource in the State Department Mugambi Nyaga, Director University Education and Research, Dairus Ogutu Mogaka, Director in the Directorate of Research Science and Technology Gideon Kivengea and Deputy Secretary in the State Department Dan Mesis among other senior government officials.