Magoha slams inspectors over 3,000 unregistered schools

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha. He says he was ashamed to tell the president that 2,000 unregistered schools were closed. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Education CS Magoha says he told President Kenyatta that 2,000 schools have been closed.
  • CS also took a swipe at some quality assurance officers saying instead of doing inspections in schools on termly basis, some were doing it after six years.
  • Several owners of informal schools have since protested the closure and even moved to court.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha on Wednesday disclosed that there are a total of 3,000 unregistered schools in the country.

Speaking at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), Prof Magoha said that it was a shame that the schools were operating under the watch of the Ministry of Education officials.

“I was ashamed to tell the president that we had closed 2,000 unregistered schools in the country,” said the Cabinet Secretary while launching two government policy papers on education.

The CS also took a swipe at some quality assurance officers saying instead of doing inspections in schools on termly basis, some were doing it after six years.

'CHANGE IS PAINFUL'

He asked regional and county directors of schools to go to the learning centres and not wait for reports from field officers.

“We are implementing change and change is always resisted and painful but is constant in life,” said Prof Magoha.

The CS also pointed an accusing finger at some education officials who he said were soliciting bribes from stakeholders instead of working.

The Sessional Paper No.1 of 2019 and the National Education Sector Strategic Plan will go a long way in ensuring that the Ministry delivers quality education at all levels, he said.

University Education Principal Secretary Prof Collete Suda said what is most important is how the Ministry will implement the plan, noting that it can only be delivered if they work as team.

LEARNERS

Several owners of informal schools have since protested the closure and even moved to court saying close to two million learners are at risk of being locked out of school.

Last month, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang directed the ministry's officials across the country to shut down all unregistered schools.

Interior Principal Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho also gave the county commissioners two weeks to submit reports on closure of schools in their areas.

The decision to shut down the facilities followed the death of eight pupils at Precious Talent Academy in Ng’ando Area of Nairobi’s Dagoretti South constituency.