By Roy Hezron
The new registration guidelines for basic learning institutions released recently by the Ministry of Education will see all Pre-Primary Institutions that is Pre-Primary 1 and 2 being day scholars as the country adopts the new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) for all levels of basic education.
The guidelines states that there shall be no boarding pre-primary institutions with those attached to Primary schools shall be constructed not more than a two kilometers radius.
According to the recently released data from the 2021 Economic Survey report by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani, the number of registered public pre-primary schools went up by 2.7 per cent from 28,383 in 2019 to 29,148 in 2020; while the enrolment in pre-Primary 1 and 2 increased by 3.4 per cent to 2.8 million in 2020 from 2.7 million in 2019.
The guidelines shall also be used in the registration of institutions offering other Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) approved national and international curricula.
On tuition facilities, Size and Capacity; the new guidelines requires one Classroom to accommodate a maximum of 25 leaners of 4-5 years old, a door opening outwards with width appropriate to the space it is serving with a passing and turning space of at least 1.8 meters to 2 meters for every learner on a wheelchair.
At least two staircases and a ramp or elevator shall be provided on all buildings exceeding one-storey, for access to upper floors; with each staircase flight having a clear height of not less than two meters and a width of 1.2metres for buildings with not more than 16 steps in any flight, without introduction of a landing.
The guidelines further require that all doors shall be disability friendly with spaces being a minimum of 1.2 meters wide, and be double-swing; a suitable sleeping and resting area with suitable beddings; and age appropriate and disability friendly furniture (tables and coloured chairs painted in primary colours of red, blue and yellow).
In addition, the tuition facilities in the pre-primary institutions will be required to have a chalkboard; white board or smart board, nature corner, learning materials storage facility and teacher’s preparation table and a chair.
For learners in special schools taking a regular curriculum with adaptations the total number of learners per class shall be a maximum of 10.
On sanitation facilities, the new guidelines requires a pre-primary school to have one toilet each serving only ten girls and 20 boys, which should be fitted with a urinal for the case of boys toilets and a shower room for both boys and girls.
The toilets should have small apertures (opening, hole, or gap) not more the 20 centimeters by 15 centimeters, age appropriate and disability friendly toilet basins with half doors.
In addition, the toilets should have a door opening width appropriate to the space it is serving whose recommended typical size is 0.8 meters for a cubicle; with male urinal troughs should being 4 meters (12feets) long and incase where there is no urinal the ratio for boys should be 1:25.
The sanitation facilities should always maintain high hygiene and health standards to prevent emergence of diseases and epidemics.
For special needs pre-primary institutions, only one toilet should each serve 10 girls and 15 boys, with a urinal for boys and a shower room each for boys and girls.
They should also be age appropriate and disability friendly toilet basins and apertures, handrails to guide learners who are deaf-blind to move independently and safely, and learners following stage based curriculum should have a toilet ratio of 1:5 for both genders.
The minimum land acreage for the Pre-Primary Institutions located in urban set-up should be 0.05 Ha (⅛ acre) for Stand-alone Pre-Primary 1 and 2.
For those located in high density rural set-up, the Stand-alone Pre-Primary 1 and 2 should be in a 0.1 Ha (¼ acre) piece of land, while that in low density rural should occupy 0.4 Ha (1 acre) piece of land.
Despite all institutions being required to have playgrounds or play stations, those in Pre-Primary institutions are required to have a playground measuring a minimum of 90 meters by 120 meters.
Institutions without adequate grounds shall lease a playground within a radius of 200 meters from the school.
The play station for pre-primary institutions must have appropriate fixed and movable play items, appropriate adapted fixed and movable play items for learners with disabilities, and have adequate space for play.
On security standards, the institutions will be required to construct a secure, sturdy and non-penetrable fence to enclose all sides of the institution; which shall have appropriate lockable and separate vehicular and pedestrian gates; and which shall not use barbed wire as the main fencing material.
Those who will be required to manage the institutions must be registered by both Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the County Education Board (CEB) and shall have a minimum qualification of a Diploma in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE).
