Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ezekiel Machogu has banned morning and evening classes commonly known as preps for all students.
CS Machogu noted that teachers were overburdening students leaving them with limited time for rest.
Moreover, CS Machogu warned schools against forcing students to report before the break of dawn or leaving school after dusk.
“With the resumption of the education calendar, the government will be vigilant on reporting time of students. Classes should start at 8.00 am and end exactly at 3.45 pm,” the CS stated.
The Education CS added that students sometimes wake up at 4 am to prepare for school.
“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 act on schools that ferry students home as late as 10.00 pm,” CS Machogu warned.
In response, Kenya Primary Heads Association (KEPSHA), asked the Ministry of Education to employ more teachers 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 noted.
According to KEPSHA, the teacher-pupil ratio in public schools currently is 1:50.
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Nonetheless, KEPSHA thanked the Ministry of Education for addressing some of the challenges being experienced.
“We have seen that the government has released textbooks meant for teaching and if more teachers are employed, we will be able to finish teaching on time,” the association stated.
Additionally, banning morning and evening classes is part of the changes CS Machogu introduced in the education sector.
