Author: Hezron Rooy

Form Two Student Dies After Altercation at School. A family in Runyenjes, Embu County, is grappling with immense grief after their 15-year-old son, Shelton Caleb, a Form Two student at St. Francis Kanja Secondary School, tragically died following an altercation with a schoolmate. The promising young life was cut short due to injuries sustained during the confrontation earlier last week. The altercation, initially perceived as minor, escalated into a devastating ordeal: DateEvent DetailsJanuary 21Shelton injured during a confrontation and rushed to a local hospital.January 22Discharged from the hospital but condition worsened.January 24Transferred to Radiant Hospital in Nairobi, where he died…

KNUT Raises Alarm Over Rising School Attacks by Parents. The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has expressed deep concern about the increasing cases of unrest in schools, with some parents storming school premises and blocking access to headteachers. The KNUT Bondo Branch insists that immediate action is necessary to address the issue, which has disrupted the administration of educational institutions in the region. Led by Bondo branch Executive Secretary George Ajwang’ condemned the recent incidents of school closures orchestrated by parents targeting headteachers. A representative from the branch emphasized that this trend is unacceptable and urged parents to follow…

KISE Partners with NCPD to Enhance Sign Language Skills. The Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) has joined hands with the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD) to empower individuals in both public and private sectors by equipping them with sign language skills. The program was officially launched by KISE Director, Norman Kiogora, at Kenyatta University’s Nakuru Campus. The initiative aims to improve service delivery for people with special needs, aligning with constitutional mandates. Government offices are required to have sign language interpreters to ensure accessibility of services to everyone, especially those with hearing challenges. According to program organizers,…

Govt to Expand School Meals Programme to Reach 10 Million Children. The government has unveiled plans to expand the School Meals Programme (SMP) to cover 10 million schoolchildren across Kenya, a significant increase from the current 2.6 million beneficiaries. The announcement was made by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos during the launch of 16 modern NG-CDF-funded classrooms at Mbauro and Mghambonyi comprehensive schools in Wundanyi Constituency, Taita Taveta County. Migos reiterated the government’s commitment to providing nutritious meals for children, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that no child is left behind in accessing school meals. He noted that while the…

NITA Launches Sector Committee for Quality Industrial Training Standards. The National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) in Athi River has inaugurated its third Sector Training Committee (STC) to enhance worker upskilling across various sectors. This initiative aims to address gaps in skills training while fostering collaboration for improved industrial standards. During the inauguration, Mohamed Ali Noor, Chair of the NITA Board of Directors, explained the critical role of STCs in bridging gaps identified in skills training. He noted that the STC members represent specialized organizations that collaborate with NITA to refine expertise, embrace emerging technologies, and meet industrial training quality standards.…

Over 60 Students Hospitalized After Suspected School Meal Contamination. Over 60 students from Kalyet Secondary School in Kericho were hospitalized on Monday after experiencing prolonged stomach pains, suspected to have been caused by contaminated food. The students reportedly consumed a meal of beans and maize on Sunday during lunch. Shortly after, some began complaining of stomach discomfort. By Monday morning, the symptoms had worsened, prompting the school to transport 47 students, including 9 boys and 38 girls, to the Londiani Sub County Hospital for medical attention. The majority of the students exhibited persistent vomiting overnight. Hospital authorities confirmed that all…

New Tax Set to Raise Prices for Streaming and E-Learning Services. Kenyan consumers are bracing for higher costs on streaming and e-learning services following the introduction of a 15 per cent excise duty on digital services provided by non-resident companies. The new tax seeks to establish fairness by ensuring non-resident digital service providers comply with the same excise duty obligations as local businesses. This measure complements earlier initiatives aimed at broadening Kenya’s tax base, such as: Tax InitiativeImplementation YearRateDigital Services Tax (DST)20211.5%Value Added Tax (VAT) on Digital Services202116% By introducing this tax, the government aims to align taxation practices while…

How Ruto Plans to Register 15 Million Learners in Taifa Care Within 90 Days. The government has expressed confidence in meeting its target of enrolling over 15 million learners from Early Childhood Development and Education centres (ECDEs), primary/comprehensive, and secondary schools into the Taifa Care health insurance programme during the first term. Officials emphasized that all learners in both public and private schools are eligible for enrollment in the public health scheme. Government representatives stated that Community Health Promoters had been directed to set up in learning institutions to ensure all students are enrolled before the end of the term…

TSC to Pay 20,000 JSS Intern Stipends Next Month. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will begin paying salaries in February to the 20,000 teachers recently recruited on a one-year internship term for junior secondary schools (JSS). The delay in payments was attributed to late submission of casualty returns for most teachers who reported to schools on January 6th. Simultaneously, the TSC is processing the integration of 46,000 teachers who transitioned from internship to permanent and pensionable (PnP) terms in January. These teachers are set to receive enhanced salaries, including leave allowances, as the January payroll has already been closed. Delays…

Academic Calendar Updates: Ministry of Education February Half-Term Break for Schools. Nursery, primary, and secondary schools are scheduled to observe a February half-term break following their reopening for the first term in January. The Ministry of Education has released the mid-term break schedule for public and private schools, providing a detailed timeline for the break and subsequent resumption of activities. Half-Term Dates Post-Break Activities Upon resuming from the half-term break, schools will immediately embark on co-curricular activities. These activities will be tailored separately for primary, junior secondary, and secondary schools, as outlined in the Ministry’s schedule. Age Restrictions for Co-Curricular…