The Ministry of Government has earmarked 348 primary schools countrywide for closure of their boarding sections after they failed to meet a comprehensive compliance assessment that was carried out between September and October 2024.
This is as per a circular by the Ministry dated November 27th that has been doing rounds on social media. PS for Education Belio Kipsang noted that affected schools had not met the required safety standards outlined in the Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya (2008).
“An assessment exercise to establish the status of compliance to safety standards for all boarding primary schools in the country was carried out in the months of September and October 2024,” the statement read in part.
“A total of three hundred and forty-eight (348) schools of those assessed were consequently NOT approved to host boarding learners,” it continued.
The institutions listed in the circular, additionally, did not adhere to the provisions stipulated in the Registration Guidelines for Basic Education Institutions (2021). It further noted that there were gross violations of learner safety measures.
“Re-opening of the boarding sections should strictly be upon a re-registration process,” read the circular.
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Regional Directors of Education, County Directors of Education and Sub-County Directors of Education have thus been tasked with ensuring that schools listed in the respective jurisdictions in the circular do not reopen boarding section for the academic year 2025.
Nearly just a month left until schools reopen for a new year, relevant authorities are expected to also give timely communication to the parents to adjust accordingly.
“You are required to ensure that affected parents are informed in good time for them to make alternative arrangements for their children.”
Some of the institutions affected in Nairobi County as per the circular include Visa Oswal, Thika Road Primary, Rudan Junior School, Jonathan Gloag Academy, St. Anne Pre & Primary Catholic and ACK Good Samaritan.
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