The Ministry of Education (MoE), has directed Education officers to ensure every public institution in the country has a land title deed of land they occupy.
Speaking during Inaugural Ministry of Education Conference in Naivasha, the MoE director general Dr Elyas Abdi said the education officers have six months to ensure the schools get the ownership documents.
The workshop for education officers titled “Reforming Education in Kenya: the practice, opportunities and challenges” was aimed to foster collaboration share best practices and address the challenges faced by education officers across the country and lack of the crucial ownership documents is among issues discussed.
The director said the officers must ensure government land is protected by acquiring the crucial documents.
According to reports a significant number of public schools in Kenya do not have land ownership documents, leaving them vulnerable to land grabbing and hindering development of the schools.
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A 2023 report by Shule Yangu Campaign Alliance revealed that 4,100 schools were at risk of losing their land to grabbers.
The report indicated that only 11,974 of Kenya’s 32,643 public schools have received title deeds which are just 37 per cent.
Only few counties out of the 47 counties have made progress in acquisition of the ownership documents, Mandera County has successfully processed title deeds for 321 out of its 334 schools.
Garissa County remains behind in obtaining the documents, all 256 schools in Garissa, 311 in Wajir, and 231 in Marsabit still lack titles. The same with in Turkana (473), Samburu (215), and Tana River (300), where not a single public school has been titled.
Lack of the documentation has also contributed to drug abuse in schools, schools cannot fence their land due to lack of the legal ownership documents exposing learners to drug peddlers and sex pests.
By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
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