Classes are strictly between 8am 3:30pm, Govt orders teachers

Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has directed all primary and secondary schools to adhere to the official operating hours for all day public or private institutions.

According to Ms. Mohamed, the Basic Education Regulations of 2015 provides the period between 8:00am to 3:30pm to be for class hours where actual teaching and learning in class takes place.

The CS made the remarks when she submitted a report of student discipline and unrest in secondary schools to the Committee on Education and Research of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

She said any arrangement where learners have classes before 8:00am or after 3:30pm is banned.

Ms. Mohamed told the committee, which is chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, that investigations had revealed that some schools forced students to attend classes as early as 5:30am and long after 5:00pm.

She said the tight school programmes led to a lot of frustration among learners as it did not provide time for them to think or play.

“Even as we maintain standards, we must not overstretch our children,” she said, noting that learners in rural schools faced ever day danger when they were forced to be in school earlier than usual.

The CS said management of schools should also have regular barazas with students where students are allowed to air their views and grievances to the administration without victimization.

Ms. Mohamed also discounted corporal punishment as a viable form of discipline students saying it undermined the dignity of learners and also their self-confidence.

The CS was flunked by the Principal Secretary for Early Learning and Basic Education, Dr. Belio Kipsang, the Director General, Mr. Elyas Abdi among other senior education officials.