Joho warns teachers against crushing learners' dreams

Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ali Hassan Joho on May 23, 2026. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]

Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho has appealed to teachers across the country to stop practices that deny vulnerable children access to education through suspensions, expulsions and constant fee-related exclusions.

Speaking at the Coast region during Sports PS Fikirini Jacobs thanksgiving in Kilifi, Joho said many bright children from poor families are losing hope because schools continue sending them home over fees arrears and disciplinary issues without considering their difficult backgrounds.

Joho emotionally recounted the struggles faced by Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy Fikirini Jacobs, saying his education journey nearly collapsed due to financial hardships before leaders intervened to help him return to university.

“Nawaomba waalimu kwa unyenyekevu, if there is any teacher here, if you continue to send away vulnerable families from school, you could have killed PS Fikirini dream and we could not be here now,” said Joho.

“Tusiwe wepesi wa kufukuza wanafunzi shuleni. Itaua ndoto nyingi,” he added.

According to Joho, leaders from the Coast region were forced to intervene after Fikirini was unable to continue with his studies at Pwani University due to financial challenges.

“We went to Pwani University as leaders and requested the VC to re-admit him to the university,” he revealed.

The CS said many children from vulnerable backgrounds possess great potential but are often condemned to poverty because of rigid school policies that fail to consider economic realities facing parents.

His remarks come amid growing concerns over rising school fees arrears and cases where students miss classes or national examinations after being sent home.

Education stakeholders have repeatedly warned that prolonged exclusion from school exposes children to crime, drug abuse, early marriages and hopelessness.

Senate speaker Amason Kingi said, “We have talked about Pwani University but we have a long history at Maasai Mara University. There are issues that befell him thus why he didn’t finish there. The main problem was the defence of his colleagues and things happen in the right way which rubbed the universities administrations wrongly,” he said.

Kingi noted that with the humble background and ruthless focus he has made it to the top.

“You will become not only the home of the region but the entire country,” he said.

Joho also accused opposition leaders of exploiting the long-standing challenges facing the Coast region for political mileage instead of offering practical solutions.

“The long-standing challenges of land, water, schools, electricity and roads have been with us at the Coast for many decades,” he said.