The Ministry of Education (MoE) has issued a renewed directive reminding all education officers and teachers to strictly comply with existing Teachers Service Commission (TSC) guidelines on the protection of pupils and students.
In a circular dated February 4, 2026, from the Office of the Principal Secretary, the Ministry emphasised adherence to TSC Circular No. 3 of 2010 and Circular No. 14 of 2018, both of which focus on safeguarding learners during school-related activities.
The circular was authored and signed by the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Amb. (Prof.) Julius K. Bitok.
The directive, addressed to Regional, County and Sub-County Directors of Education, underscores the obligation of schools to ensure safety, supervision, and proper conduct in all learner engagements, including sports, drama festivals, training sessions, educational tours, competitions and any other co-curricular activities conducted within or outside school premises.
“The safety and dignity of learners must never be compromised at any stage of school programmes,” the circular states, reinforcing the MoE’s firm stance on learner welfare.
One of the key provisions reiterated in the document is the requirement that learners be accompanied by at least one registered teacher of the same gender during any school activity.
The Ministry stressed that supervision must be consistent and proportional to the number of learners involved.
“Every activity involving learners must be conducted under the direct supervision of registered teachers at all times,” Bitok notes.
The circular further prohibits the involvement of deregistered or unregistered individuals in school programmes, warning institutions against engaging such persons in teaching, training, managing or supervising learners.
“Only duly registered teachers are permitted to handle learners in any official capacity,” the Ministry cautioned.
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In addition, retired teachers and officers are expressly barred from serving as trainers, supervisors or officials in school teams and groups.
The directive signals a tightening of enforcement mechanisms to close regulatory gaps that may expose learners to risk.
“All officers under our jurisdiction must ensure strict compliance, and any breach will attract appropriate administrative action,” Prof Bitok warns.
Education stakeholders have interpreted the reminder as part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability and reinforce learner protection frameworks amid the increasing number of school-based activities under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
A senior education official who requested anonymity said the circular reflects heightened vigilance within the Ministry.
“The message is clear — compliance is not optional. Institutions must prioritise structured supervision and adhere to established safeguarding protocols,” the official said.
The Ministry directed education administrators to circulate the information widely across institutions and to treat the matter with urgency.
The circular was also copied to key education bodies, including the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA), the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA), the Kenya Parents Association (KPA), and the Kenya Special Needs Association (KSNA).
Observers note that as schools continue to expand co-curricular and experiential learning activities under CBC, safeguarding compliance will remain central to maintaining trust between institutions, parents and learners.
By Joseph Mambili
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