Education Ministry: Closure of schools aimed at securing safety of learners

Students walk in the streets of Nakuru town as they head home on 21-09-2015 following the Education Ministry directive to have all schools closed  PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU

The students were better off in the care and security of their parents and guardians pending resolution of the teachers strike.

In a press statement, the Ministry of Education maintains that revision of term dates aims at safeguarding security of the learners, staff and school property, and thus addresses concerns of parents and other key stakeholders in education.

Striking teachers not only stopped teaching, but also withdrew the care.  

The Ministry of Education provides that a school calendar operates for pre-determined days or structured instructional hours determined by the Quality Assurance and Standards system it has established with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and other key stakeholders.

The structured learning time that the Ministry of Education has established provides a common and effective strategy for the monitoring of curriculum delivery across all schools, including private schools, running on the 8.4.4 Curriculum. There is allocated time which is the total time available for teaching and learning. This time must be planned for and used effectively to accomplish the teaching and learning tasks. Allocated time at school is mainly for teaching, learning and assessment.

The Ministry extended the directive to cover students in private primary and secondary schools because they run on the same curriculum as public primary and secondary schools. There was, therefore, need to secure uniformity in the curriculum experience of all learners across the 8.4.4 school system. It was for this reason that informed the extension of revised term dates to private schools running the 8.4.4 curriculum.

The Ministry acknowledges that the pay dispute concerns teachers under the employment of the Teachers Service Commission and government/employer. It is also aware that teaching and learning went on smoothly in private primary and secondary schools.

The Government recognises the role owners of Private Schools play in complementing government in providing education services to Kenyans. It is deeply indebted to this partnership in addressing the problems of access, equity, quality in the provisions of education services.

The extension of the revision of the Term Dates to private schools was, therefore, not in any way aimed at undermining the institution of the private schools system. Nor was it conceived as a solution to the current impasse. It was to place the safety of safety of learners in the hands of their parents and guardians as a solution to the pay dispute is explored.