• Chanda Good Hope Academy director says closure had dealt him a major blow as he was assembling materials to refurbish structures in his school.
• John Ochieng, another proprietor, accused the Education ministry of sensationalising safety issues.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers and owners of private schools in Migori have cautioned the government against bias in the crackdown on unsafe institutions.
They said private schools are unfairly targetted, while public schools in deplorable conditions are still operating.
At least 40 private primary schools have been closed in the county following the order by Education CS George Magoha. However, the proprietors said their schools are closed even without prior notice. They said the crackdown has hurt their candidates and left their preparations for exams in a shambles.
Shem Madende, a director at Chanda Good Hope Academy in Kakrao, said the closure had dealt him a major blow as he was assembling materials to refurbish classrooms.
“I had brought materials to build more classrooms and improve those in a bad state... I resorted to building rentals because it will be hard to get admission," he said.
John Ochieng, another proprietor, accused the Education ministry of sensationalising the issue. He said the government should have closed public schools too, instead of rushing to private ones, which have less capacity.
Rongo Knut secretary-general Samuel Omwaga said Migori public schools have poor structures and do not meet the threshold set for private institutions.
“They say charity begins at home. I urge the ministry to first clean their own houses by improving infrastructure in public schools before they can continue with the exercise in private schools,” he said.
In Awendo subcounty alone, 18 public schools do not meet the standards set by the ministry, he added.
"Why should they continue closing private schools around, yet the lives of children in these public schools are also endangered depending on the manner in which the structures were built?”
But Education director Elizabeth Otieno defended the government, saying schools that have not met the required guidelines will be defiantly closed. She said private schools are the most affected because they have inadequate land, thus restricting construction.
Otieno sought to assure parents with children in public schools on the safety of their children, adding they have involved the Public Works and Health ministries in the exercise to ensure the security and safety of children.
“The current exercise is not only meant for private schools. Public institutions are also being monitored, especially whenever they are putting up a structure,” she said.
Otieno said most of the schools had been operating without licences.
“We have identified 30 schools within the county which were either operating illegally or had structures not fit for use... Their pupils have been transferred to the nearest schools to continue with learning.”
(Edited by F'Orieny)