Concerns raised over learners travelling to school before dawn

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba with the leadership of the Global Peace Foundation on August 17, 2026. [Courtesy]

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned schools against breaching official learning hours, directing both public and private institutions to adhere to ministry regulations.

This follows parents and legislators have raised fresh concerns over the safety and wellbeing of learners who are required to leave home in the early hours of the morning to attend school, with some children reportedly waking as early as 4am.

Ogamba said schools should not require learners to report before 7.15am, while official classroom learning runs from 8am to 3pm. He warned that institutions operating outside the approved hours would face disciplinary action.

“We have a regulation policy, school begins at 8:00 am and closes at 3:00 pm for classes. These are the official hours set by the ministry,” Ogamba said.

The concerns have renewed debate over school reporting times and whether academic pressure is exposing children to unnecessary risks.

He added that the ministry would work with other government agencies to enforce the regulations, with administrative action taken against schools that disregard the guidelines.

The directive follows growing concern among MPs and parents over children travelling before sunrise, particularly in areas where roads are poorly lit and cases of sexual violence against children remain a serious concern.

Recently, Kisii Woman Representative Dorice Donya hsaid children in her constituency were being forced to leave home at around 4.30am, exposing them to danger on their way to school.

“These children are on the road by 4:30 am. There is no electricity, and we have so many bushes, meaning we have given our girls to the world.  At 4:30 am, are they studying for PhDs?” she asked. 

Donya urged the Education Ministry to take firm action against schools that ignore official reporting times, warning that regulations must translate into real protection for learners.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has also warned about the dangers facing children who travel to school before dawn. Murkomen said some learners were leaving their homes at 4am or 5am because schools expected them to arrive as early as 6am.

“In some instances, children are being defiled on their way to school,” Murkomen said, describing the practice as unacceptable and contrary to education regulations.

National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa says the problem is particularly troubling for younger children.

“A parent who recently encountered children waiting for school buses at about 4.30am said some families were waking their children at 4am to prepare for school,” he said.

For children aged three or four, Obuhatsa argues, such schedules raise questions about adequate sleep, health and emotional wellbeing.

“Travelling in darkness can also expose learners to road accidents, harassment, abduction and sexual violence,” he stated.