Kenyan campaigners told to stay off schools

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has issued fresh directives to politicians taking their vote-hunting schemes to schools.

In a statement yesterday, Dr Matiang'i directed that no school property and examination materials should bear individual portraits, colours of a political party or any partisan political messages.

The directive by the CS comes hot on the heels of a mock examination sponsored by Siaya county government that bore the portrait of governor Cornel Rasanga.

The Siaya incident was not an isolated case as there have been several reports of sitting leaders and aspirants sponsoring learning materials, with either their names and positions or portrait appearing conspicuously.

ATTRACTING SUPPORT

The Ministry observed that primary and secondary schools were attracting support for curricular and co-curricular programmes from a diverse set of stakeholders, particularly politicians.

"In the recent past, however, we have witnessed a scenario where political players compete to offer various forms of support to schools," said the statement.

It added: "Regrettably, some of the support has been extended to using of personal portraits and political party colours on mock examination test papers, school buses and other equipment such as geometrical sets. This is not only partisan but also intrusive of school programmes and activities."

Consequently, the CS has ordered Education officers to ensure politicians do not use school programmes for their political campaigns.

The CS revisited the issue of joint examinations, saying it had issued circulars banning zonal, sub-county and county mock tests to ease pressure among learners.