State now bans motivational talks in schools

After banning prayers in third term, the Ministry of Education has now locked out motivational speakers from learning institutions.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said this was meant to protect students from radicalisation.

Addressing head teachers from Nandi County during a retreat in Kisumu at the weekend, Dr Kipsang said the ministry had revoked all letters that had been issued to the motivational speakers.

“We have revoked all letters of motivational speakers and as a result you should not welcome any one of them in your schools,” he told the school heads.

He said some motivational speakers and preachers were radicalising learners under the disguise of motivational talk.

“Some of these people are poisoning our children with information that is not good for their development,” said Kipsang.

Stringent Measures

He warned head teachers not to welcome such people in their institutions, adding that disciplinary action would be taken against them.

“Any head teacher who is allowing them in their schools is doing so at their own peril,” the PS said.

“Head teachers should immediately call the police in case anybody visits their schools with letters of permission purported to be from the ministry.”

The principal secretary said that the Government would not tolerate actors who visit schools to perform set book plays to students.

“We must put stringent measures in place to ensure that our children are not fed with the wrong information,” said Kipsang.

The PS called on all education players to work together to ensure all children have access to quality education.

He urged them to participate in the reforms that the ministry was putting in place to restore sanity in the sector.

“We now have the best opportunity to prepare the future of our children and we should make the best out of it,” he said.

He added that the ministry would continue to come up with new measures to improve the quality of education that learners get. Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i angered Kenya National Union of Teachers and politicians when he announced tough measures to curb cheating in national examinations.

Besides banning school visits by parents in third term, Dr Matiang’i also banned prayers in schools and sporting activities, saying it was through such activities that students get examination leakages.