• Good Shepherd Academy in Mpeketoni, Lamu West, directed to re-register, it has 228 pupils.
• Parents protest closure saying some had paid years' worth of fees.
Fourteen Lamu schools have been closed for not meeting standards of safety, infrastructure, hygiene, registration and qualified teachers. That includes six recent closures.
Two more schools have been directed to re-register.
On Tuesday, parents took to the streets to protest the closures and pledged not to transfer their children.
They stormed the Education office demanding an explanation and asking why they were not informed.
Parents complained that many of them had already paid a year's worth of school fees upfront and that closing the schools was a setback.
The nationwide crackdown continues following the collapse of Precious Academy in Nairobi last week. Eight pupils were killed.
Among the Lamu schools is Nagele Public School which had only seven pupils. Others are Amu Kindergarten which had 59 pupils, Flying Angels Academy (11 pupils), Ummah Academy in Lamu East (56 pupils), Tumaini Academy (171 pupils), Mpeketoni Premier Academy (201 pupils) and FPFK school.
O Monday, the Ministry of Education closed eight schools including Bridge International, which has a student population of 165 including two KCPE exam candidates. Baraka Nursery (20 pupils) and Gracious Light Rays (147 pupils) in Lamu West were also closed.
Those closed in Lamu East were Tawfiq Academy (42 pupils), Futuhi Integrated School (46 pupils), Faza Elementary (43 pupils), Rays of Hope Academy (72 pupils) and Tawakal Academy with 194 pupils.
The Good Shepherd Academy in Mpeketoni, Lamu West, has been directed to re-register. It has a student population of 228.
It’s a matter of safety for our children even as they pursue their education. We call on parents to understand and transfer their children to public schools nearby.Education Director Joshua Kaaga
Speaking in his office on Friday, Education director Joshua Kaaga said many schools were operating secretly having failed to register with the ministry as required.
Education CS George Magoha directed education officials across all 47 counties to shut down any "unworthy" institution and transfer the students to nearby schools.
“Majorly, we were concerned with infrastructure, registration and the level of training for their teaching staff which we found wanting in the eight schools. The crackdown is still on until we close down all unworthy schools here,” he said.
Kaaga urged parents to bear with the situation saying it was for the common good.
“It’s a matter of safety for our children even as they pursue their education. We call on parents to understand and transfer their children to public schools nearby,” he said.
More than 1,000 pupils have been affected by the closures.
Parents pleaded with Magoha to consider reopening their schools and allowing their children to at least complete the third term.
Edited by R.Wamochie