The beauty about public schools back in the days was no one cared much about extra lessons, tuition or what have you in the name of empowering with knowledge. There were no set standards as one could take in as much as they could, or leave in peace. Then came group of schools. Tough, discipline is the key to success, knowledge is power and ambitious parents could not keep calm.
The government banned tuition in all schools in 2012 and prescribed a fine of Ksh 100,000 or a jail term not exceeding five years of those found guilty of such malpractices.
In the most recent incident, the Kenya Private Schools Association has condemned what they say is a government move to interfere with integrated schools during holidays alleging that they are undertaking tuition against the ministry of education directive. The association said that the move by the government to send warning letters to different schools teaching Madrasa and other languages during holidays is against the law since such schools are authorized to carry out such special sessions.
Its chairperson Mutheu Kasanga said Integrated schools run two curricula at the same time and cannot complete the syllabus during the normal school calendar hence they need more time than normal schools. Speaking during the KPSA meeting in Mombasa, she said four schools in Mombasa have received the letter and another in eleven counties with a large population of Muslims
“We need to sit down with the county and regional directors coordinators of education so they are not accidentally making mistake shutting down schools that are not necessarily doing the wrong thing. I believe Madrasa is religious by Nature and is legal as per our constitution,” she said
KPSA Kilifi County chairman confirmed that a number of schools in the region have received the warning letter and are working with the ministry of education to resolve the matter. He said some integrated schools teach extra six lessons apart from normal curriculum lessons including Arabic and other Islamic studies.