Unsafe schools closed down

A total of 22 private primary schools have been closed down and 17 given notices to operate until end of the term by the Trans Nzoia Safisha Elimu team.
The operation to “clean” education was led by Trans Nzoia county commissioner Samson Ojwang and County director of education Dr. Salome Maina.
Ojwang said that the government will not condone unsafe school environment and low quality of education, while warning proprietors of affected schools that they risk arrest should they defy the order.
He said all the schools that were closed down have been operating illegally and will not be allowed to operate without registration.
The county commissioner asked those interested in investing in education to follow due process and have their schools inspected and registered before opening doors to pupils.
Most of the primary schools are run by early childhood teachers, who did not have registered TSC teachers, but instead employed unqualified people to teach leaners.
At Great Mercy education centre the team was shocked to learn that an ECD certificate teacher headed the secondary section, despite the school having graduate teachers.
Asked why the ECD teacher headed the secondary section, the school director Judith Mutage said that the turnover of teachers was high, prompting her to promote the unqualified teacher to head the institution.
At the same time, structures at these schools were in a deplorable condition, whereas in one of the primary schools, porridge cups were placed on a dirty floor thus endangering health of the children.
In the meantime, over 1000 pupils in the region have been affected in the operation that will continue to get rid of all unregistered and unsafe schools countrywide.
The great Mercy education centre operates an ECD section, primary and secondary section. The school has been registered by the ministry of education but pupils and students live in a pathetic condition.
But strangely, parents interviewed by KNA complained about the operation and asked the government to suspend it until 2020.
A parent at Ebenezer primary school John Simiyu said the government should allow pupils to attend classes in their current school and allow them to transfer their children come January 2020.
By Pauline Ikanda