Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on Wednesday 9th hinted at a likely crackdown on schools that do not meet registration standards.
The CS said some schools are operating without due process, with some having no licences.
“It is now time to right-size all the politically correct institutions that do not give our children the education they require,” Magoha directed the quality assurance department.
“One of the things considered when registering schools is whether there is physical space for children to exercise… if there is none, don’t register it, no matter who says otherwise.”
Magoha was speaking at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) headquarters during the launch of Physical Education (PE) and sports policy for basic education.
Schools targeted are those grappling with inadequate infrastructures and land and institutions without enough learners to meet the registration standards set by the Ministry.
“It is now time to be bold enough as we move to the election period, and take back our authority to register schools through a larger committee at Jogoo House,” Magoha said.
However, Magoha stated that some schools with inadequate land may survive the crackdown if only they border others with playfields.
If the crackdown will be actualised, the move could spell doom to more than 3,000 learning institutions that are run under the Alternative Providers of Basic Education and Training and extensively do not meet registration criteria.
In 2019, the Education Ministry issued a directive to shut down all schools that failed to comply with safety guidelines following the collapse of Precious Talent Academy in Dagoretti, Nairobi. The crackdown which targeted all unregistered schools saw thousands of learners from such institutions affected.
In this year’s crackdown, schools with dilapidated structures and those that have surpassed their enrolment capacities without approval will be reassessed and risk having their operating licences invalidated.
Schools that have changed their status and those that operate without teachers registered by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will also be shut down.
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