The government has put on notice all persons opening and operating unregistered schools. State Department for Early Learning and Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Julius Jwan warns that schools operating without the consent of his ministry risk closure.
Dr. Jwan said though the government encourages the opening of schools to accommodate all learners who transit from the primary school level, there was a need to ensure the secondary schools they join are registered so that they can enjoy the free day secondary school capitation offered by the government.
“We want all children who complete primary school to join secondary school. Currently, Narok county is number three from the bottom in transition rate so we are not opposed to the opening of more secondary schools, we just want to ensure that it is done the right way,” he said.
He says the government is aware that some schools are not properly inspected to ensure they meet the basic qualifications which include spacious classrooms, playing ground and toilets.
The PS spoke in Soget Primary School in Trans Mara East Sub County where he had led the Narok county security team and officers from the ministry of education to inspect a day secondary school that the primary Board of Management (BOM) had started in the school compound.
He observed that the government allocates Sh. 22, 240 to every learner in day secondary school reiterating that for a student to benefit from the free day secondary school program, he or she should be in a registered school.
“We came here to carry out an assessment of this school so that we can register the school as per the regulations set by the Ministry of Education,” said Dr. Jwan.
The secondary school that had been opened this term and had started admitting form one students was closed as it had not met the minimum qualifications needed to start a school.
“We will transfer the learners who had been admitted to this school to the neighboring day secondary schools that are less than one kilometer from this school as we wait for the school to be registered,” reiterated the PS.
Dr. Jwan said currently, his ministry was registering many secondary schools across the country that have met the basic requirement so as to ease the burden of paying school fees on the parents.
“If something bad happens to students learning in unregistered schools, the first people to be blamed are officers from the department of education. This is the reason why we should carry out regular inspections to all registered schools,” he added.
The PS visit was triggered by a clip that went viral showing Emmurua Dikirr Member of Parliament (MP) Johanna Ng’eno blocking a team from the sub-county security and education department from inspecting the school.
In the clip, the MP asked the DCC to keep off the school compound until he was officially invited to school. On his part, Narok County Commissioner Evans Achoki warned the residents against threatening government officials while carrying out their official duties.
