Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba
The Education CS has warned school administrators to comply with regulations on reporting times, teaching hours and learner welfare as schools reopen on Monday
By Angela Mwanga
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has issued a firm warning to school administrators across the country over compliance with regulations governing school operations, learner safety and teaching hours, ahead of the reopening of schools for the third term on Monday.
The directive covers several areas of concern. Under existing regulations, public and private day schools are prohibited from compelling learners to arrive before 7:15 a.m. — a rule designed to protect students, particularly those travelling long distances, from the fatigue and safety risks associated with very early morning journeys. Academic lessons must begin at 8:00 a.m. and end no later than 3:30 p.m., giving learners adequate time for rest after classroom activities.
Ogamba’s warning comes at a critical point in the academic calendar. The third term is the final stretch of the school year, and for candidates sitting national examinations, the weeks ahead carry considerable weight. The Ministry appears increasingly alert to the risk that excessive academic pressure — extended school hours, early reporting requirements and overloaded timetables — can do more harm than good, undermining the very performance it is meant to improve.
School administrators will bear the primary responsibility for ensuring compliance. Both public and private institutions will be expected to organise their timetables within the prescribed limits and avoid programmes that keep learners in school beyond the regulated hours. The task requires careful planning: teachers must make effective use of available instructional time to complete the curriculum without pushing students past the point of productive learning.
Parents and guardians have a role to play as well. They are encouraged to ensure their children travel safely and report to school on time, and to raise concerns directly with administrators whenever they encounter scheduling or welfare issues.
The government’s renewed emphasis on school hours and learner welfare carries a clear message — academic success should not come at the cost of children’s safety or well-being. As Monday’s reopening approaches, administrators across the country will be under scrutiny to demonstrate that their institutions are operating within the rules.
Similar Posts by The Mt Kenya Times:
- City stay perfect as late Cunha goal saves United
- Passaris joins walk for dignity: Nairobi representative backs campaign for incontinence support
- Diaspora Times Global Sep 19 – Sep 25, 2026
- Tibet’s glacial catastrophe: Behind Beijing’s wall of silence, a climate disaster reshapes a region
- Museveni says Uganda overpaid for fuel through Kenyan middlemen as new terminal breaks ground
About the Author
