NAIROBI, Kenya – Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned schools across the country against breaching official learning hours, saying institutions that require pupils to report before 8:00 a.m. will face disciplinary action.
Ogamba said his ministry has received complaints that some schools compel children to leave their homes as early as 4:30 a.m., exposing them to danger and violating ministry regulations.
“We have a regulation policy — school begins at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 3:00 p.m. for classes. These are the official hours set by the ministry, and circulars have been issued to that effect,” said the CS. “Any institution operating outside these hours is acting against ministry guidelines.”
He warned that the ministry will take action on a case-by-case basis against schools that violate the directive.
“We, as the ministry, undertake to work with all other government agencies to ensure that the circular on school hours is enforced,” Ogamba said. “Serious administrative action will be taken against any institution that violates it so that we can restore order in our schools.”
The warning follows a public outcry led by Kisii Woman Representative Dorice Donya, who raised alarm over the safety of children forced to begin their school day before dawn.
“I come from Kisii, where we have high rates of defilement. These children are on the road by 4:30 a.m. There is no electricity, and there are so many bushes — meaning we have given our girls to the world,” Donya said. “At 4:30 a.m., are they studying for PhDs?”
She urged the Education CS to issue a firm circular reinforcing official reporting hours and punish schools that defy it.
“When they report to school and don’t honour the circular, then something must be done. The CS must act; he must be tough,” she said.
The issue has also drawn concern from Transport and Roads Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, who warned that early travel puts learners at risk of sexual violence and road accidents.
“In some instances, children are being defiled on their way to school. Some schools require children to be in class by 6:00 a.m., and you find them leaving their homes around 4:00 a.m. or 5:00 a.m. This is unacceptable and against the rules that govern our education system,” Chirchir said during a visit to Kisii County on September 12.
The Ministry of Education has previously issued several circulars outlining official school hours, but enforcement remains uneven — particularly in rural and high-performing schools where early morning “preps” are common practice.
