File image of Ezekiel Machogu
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has banned schools from having morning preps and evening classes.
In a statement on Monday January 30, Machogu pointed out that teachers were overburdening students leaving them with little or no time to rest.
“As we resume our normal education calendar, it is clearly stipulated in the curriculum that learning begins at 8 am and ends at 3.45 pm. We are subjecting our learners to unnecessary struggles by waking them at 4 am to attend lessons in schools by 6 am,’’ Machogu said.
Machogu warned schools against forcing students to report early or leaving late.
“You will meet students walking in the streets before dawn so that they can make time for remedial classes.
“We will not allow that, and we will also take action on schools that ferry students home as late as 10.00 pm,” the CS warned.
The CS argued learning beyond the stipulated hours is likely to damage the minds of Kenyan learners.
“The syllabus should be covered appropriately between the stipulated time. Let us not subject pupils to unnecessary mental torture. We don’t want to subject the kids to the strain. Kids should sleep for nine hours,” he said.
Kenya Primary Heads Association (KEPSHA) in response asked the Ministry of Education to hire more teachers in order for the directive to be effective.
“There is an acute shortage of teachers in public primary schools, making it hard to finish the syllabus in the stipulated time. We request the Ministry to train and employ more teachers so that it will be possible to adhere to the released school calendar,” KEPSHA stated.
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