Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has cautioned schools teaching beyond the stipulated time.
Machogu said the additional studies subject learners to unnecessary mental torture.
Machogu made the remarks at Nairobi Primary school, where he led education stakeholders during monitoring the opening of Junior Secondary School (JSS) and distribution of textbooks for grade 7.
“The normal school day should start from 8:00 am up to 3:45 pm. Let us not subject our students and pupils to unnecessary mental torture,” he said.
The CS observed that some schools were forcing their students to commute in the wee hours of the morning and late in the evening.
“You will meet students walking on the streets very early in the morning heading to school for remedial lessons. I have seen some buses ferrying students at 10:00 pm as they head back home. We will not allow that,” he added.
Some parents have been defying such orders from the government over the years.
Holiday tuition was banned in Kenyan schools, but some parents make private arrangements with teachers for their children to undergo remedial studies.
Machogu emphasized that the government wants to make learning enjoyable and stress-free, focusing on ensuring that students get enough sleep and have a positive school experience.
He also said that the government is taking a closer look at the subjects that Junior Secondary School students will be covering, intending to streamline the curriculum to ease the burden on students.
