Students Over 8 Years Found Burning Schools To Be Jailed, Says Magoha

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has warned learners involved in burning schools that other than paying for damages, they will also be held criminally liable and punished in court.

Magoha said those above eight years will have to be jailed to deter others from engaging in such crimes, adding that they will also be put in a database, restricting their opportunities in the near future.

The CS added that the database will restrict transfers to other schools, joining institutions of higher learning, employment opportunities, thus affecting their lives in future.

Speaking after distributing masks to pupils of Mwiki primary school in Ruiru Sub-county Monday, Magoha said since calls for more collaborations among prefects, teachers, discipline masters and teachers on duties, school arson cases have gone down.

“Any child over eight years is liable to criminal prosecution. Other than paying for damages, they will not be able to criminally get away with it. Again, we will have a database of learners who are involved in these arson cases, and they will be followed up in their future lives,” he said.

The Ministry received 7.5million masks from Ministry of Health to be distributed to selected schools with high enrollment in informal settlements and those located in pockets of poverty and special schools countrywide.

PP1 – PP3 learners will receive 3 million masks, Grade 4-8 and Secondary school learners will receive each 2,250,000 masks. The distribution will be cascaded to the regional and county levels.

On exam preparedness, the CS said expectant girls preparing for their final exams will be accorded a comfortable environment to do their papers.

He said through chiefs and their assistants, the Ministry has been able to get pregnant girls who were yet to report to school and assured them of their support during the period.

“Only one percent of learners, most of whom are pregnant girls are yet to report to school.  We know where they are. Some have delivered and we shall rehabilitate them in school. We are keen to provide them with a comfortable environment to do their exams even if you deliver during the testing period,” he said.

Area MP Simon King’ara said they have already identified nine acres of land which they will convert to public land to decongest the school.

He said they have also constructed another school a kilometer away, that will be opened in July.

“This area has over 90,000 learners and the NG-CDF is overwhelmed. We welcome government interventions to decongest the school,” said the MP.

The CS was accompanied by Health CAS Dr. Mercy Mwangangi, nominated senator Isaac Mwaura and several education officials.