Trade, Investment and Industry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria. [Brenda C'zeda, Standard]

Trade, Investment and Industry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria says the government will bar schools from directing parents and guardians to buy uniforms from specific shops.

Kuria said on Tuesday, January 24 that he had held discussions with his Education counterpart Ezekiel Machogu and Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang and agreed on the directive.

"Schools have no business in selling uniforms," he said during a press conference in Nairobi.

"The government will send out a circular to all school heads warning them against asking parents to buy uniforms from specific shops," said Kuria.

His remarks come as learners across the country report back to school for Term One this week.

In efforts to bring public universities back to profitability, CS Kuria said that the government will privatise some of the public universities.

"We are already in talks with some investors [to partially buy some of the universities]," he said, adding: "University land will also be used by investors for business production."

The Ministry of Education was yet to issue a statement on CS Kuria's proclamations as of the time of publishing this story.