Education Ministry orders schools that do not meet these conditions closed immediately
The Ministry of Education has ordered for the immediate closure of schools that do not meet the required conditions. This comes in light of the recent accident that occurred at Talents academy in Nairobi which claimed the lives of eight learners.
“It has been observed that some basic education institutions have been established without following due process. A number of institutions exist without registration certificates while others have failed to reapply for re-registration when their
circumstances change,” reads a circular by the Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang.
Dr. Kipsang has now directed the Education officers at County level to carry out a forensic audit of all schools and close those which do not meet the regulations.
“These institutions are therefore existing illegally. Most of those institutions do not meet the minimum standards required of them to be registered and some of them have infrastructure that are below standard and which pose danger to the learners,” he adds.
So far, the Ministry has closed some schools in Nairobi.
Education CS Prof. George Magoha on September 26, 2019 withdrew the registration certificate of tragedy-hit Precious Talents Academy in Nairobi. The CS also closed Pama School in Kangemi as the crackdown against shoddily built schools heats up.
The Ministry has further directed that;
i) Schools that are not registered with the Ministry of Education be closed and learners placed in public schools.
ii) All schools whose infrastructure standards have deteriorated and/or
altered since registration should have their registration certificate withdrawn and school closed immediately.
iii) Schools that have changed their status to be re-assessed for re-registration immediately. This includes schools that have increased their enrolment.
iv) All field officers together with other government agencies to carry out assessment of schools and make appropriate decisions before schools close on the 25th October 2019.
v) Any school which has employed teachers not registered by Teachers Service Commission be considered having failed to meet the guidelines and be closed immediately.
vi) Parents with support of education field officers are asked to ascertain the registration status of the schools where their children are currently enrolled before end of third term.
The audit exercise is expected to run till the end of October, 2019. “All officers are instructed to carry out the exercise with diligence and failure to do so will result in disciplinary action being taken against the officers concerned. Reports on implementation of this circular should reach this office by 31 October, 2019,” directs Dr. Kipsang.
As usual ministry of education lacks policy framework on learner safety apart from statements issued once a disaster occurs. If we had policies written down then officers on the ground would not be finding it hard to implement. Prof Magoha should fix this while still in office rather than adopting a reactionary approach to conceal the weaknesses of his ministry. Shutting down schools and transferring learners to nearby schools is to me a goof. If am wrong then get us the policy document being used for reference.