Schools must guarantee students safety Matiangi

The Cabinet Secretary for Education Dr. Fred Matiang’i has underscored the need for schools to comply with the safety standards relating to hostels students sleep in.

He expressed concern after visiting Kisumu Day Secondary School in Kisumu Town where he found that the school had triple-decker beds for students, something he says does not guarantee the Safety of Students in the event of a disaster.

“We have a responsibility to guarantee the safety of the Children. We cannot jeopardize the children’s safety and if a disaster is to happen, we will find ourselves in trouble,” said the CS.

Matiang’i had made an impromptu inspection tour of the school while on his way to the Kisumu National Polytechnic.

Dr. Matiang’i also expressed concern that the school did not adequately take care of the library saying it was an important facility that ought not only to be clean, but also used regularly by students.

He, however, expressed satisfaction with the condition of classrooms saying there was evidence of cleanliness and enthusiasm for learning in the few lessons that were taking place.

While addressing the students, the CS commended the school saying that he had received news about its performance and assured that the government will continue to support it.

He also said the government will pay examination fees for the Form Four Students who will sit for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Examinations (KCSE).

“Nobody should ask you or your parents to pay for Examinations fees,” Dr. Matiang’i told students in the brief address.

At the same time Dr. Matiang’i re-affirmed the government’s focus on expanding and growing Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) by supporting TVET institutions.

He said the country’s TVET Institutions have the capacity to provide quality training in Technical and Vocational fields.