Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mr. Ezekiel Machogu has asked Principals and Headteachers to adhere to school hours, starting at 8.00am and ending at 3.45pm on weekdays, as prescribed by the Ministry of Education.
Machogu said that the Ministry provides for a maximum of 6 hours of teaching, noting that education of learners should be natural and not forced.
Speaking when officials of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) led by Chairman Mr. Indimuli Kahi paid a courtesy call on him at his office on Thursday, The CS said that Finland has a 3-hour teaching regime yet it is reputed to have a world-class system of education.
He stressed on the need for schools to adhere to the school hours to allow learners to manage their own learning and engage in physical education activities.
Machogu, however, thanked KESSHA for the support it was giving the government in the management of education, especially the education reforms the government is undertaking.
Also in attendance, Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang challenged the leadership of KESSHA to regulate the costing of school uniforms among its members.
Indimuli identified capitation funds for free day secondary education programme, school uniforms, disbursement of curriculum materials, management of co-curricular activities and auditing of school finances as some of the issues the Ministry needed to address.
While asking the association to submit proposals on possible ways of addressing the issues, the CS said the Ministry will set up a team to study the issues and brainstorm on solutions.
Present during the meeting were senior officials in the Ministry and the executive officials of KESSHA.
