Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof. Julius Bitok has dismissed calls for an early half-term break, insisting that the school calendar will remain unchanged despite the recent wave of student unrest reported in various schools across the country.
Speaking during a school inspection in Nairobi, Bitok confirmed that learners will proceed for the scheduled half-term break on June 24, as earlier communicated by the Ministry of Education.
Calendar remains unchanged
The PS stated that the government would not disrupt learning for the majority of students because of unrest in a small number of institutions.
According to him, about 80 schools have been affected by strikes out of more than 9,500 schools nationwide, representing less than one per cent of learning institutions in the country.
Bitok noted that over 99 per cent of schools are continuing with normal learning programmes and maintained that changing the academic calendar would unfairly affect millions of learners who remain in class.
Quality assurance officers deployed
To address the growing cases of unrest, the Ministry of Education has deployed an additional 400 quality assurance officers to inspect boarding schools and assess compliance with safety and management regulations.
The nationwide inspection exercise began on June 2 and is expected to run for ten days.
Call for dialogue in schools
The PS further observed that students are increasingly facing pressure from both society and their home environments, factors he said could be contributing to the current challenges in schools.
He urged teachers and school administrators to strengthen communication channels with learners and involve student leadership in decision-making processes, particularly on issues that directly affect students.
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Bitok emphasized that open dialogue between school management and students remains one of the most effective ways of reducing tension and preventing unrest in learning institutions.
By Philip Koech
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