CS Machogu bans early and late classes for all students

Education CS Ezekiel Machogu. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The government has banned early morning and late evening travelling of learners in a bid to give them adequate time to rest.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said students will not report to class before the break of dawn. They will also be required to end school activities before dusk.

According to Machogu, the government will not allow students to be exposed to a lot of work which can be covered within the stipulated time.

''As we resume our normal education calendar, it is clearly stipulated in the curriculum that learning begins at 8 am and ends at 3.45 pm. We are subjecting our learners to unnecessary struggles by waking them at 4 am to attend lessons in schools by 6 am,'' Machogu said.

''You will meet students walking on the streets very early in the morning heading to school for remedial lessons. I have seen some buses ferrying students at 10 pm as they head back home. We will not allow that," he added.

Machogu cautioned schools against the trend arguing it was akin to mental torture and that the school environment should not feel like prison life.

''Let's not subject our children to a lot of stress which affects their mental health. We want to make learning fun and likeable. Our children should rest and have enough sleep. Let children be children and enjoy their schooling life,'' Machogu said.

The CS at the same time said the government is looking into subjects that Junior Secondary School (JSS) that students will cover.

''As a ministry, we are also concerned with the number of subjects the children are going to cover in the new set-up. There are many and we will streamline so that it is not a burden,'' explained Machogu.

In the current set-up, the government has approved 12 compulsory learning areas with students expected to choose a maximum of two optional subjects.

They include Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Agriculture, Integrated Science, Health Education, Social Studies and Religious Education (Christian, Islamic, Hindu).

Others are Pre-Technical and Pre-Career Education, Business Studies, Life Skills, Sports and Physical Education.

In addition, learners will be required to do a minimum of one and a maximum of two optional subjects from Virtual Arts, Performing Arts, Home Science, Computer Science, Foreign Language (French, Germany, Arabic), Indigenous language or Sign Language.

Following anxiety that monies had not been disbursed, Machogu while leading monitoring of JSS opening and distribution of books exercise in Nairobi yesterday, assured that the funds will be released.