This archive report was first published on 7 October 2019.
On October 7, 2019, a multi-agency operation led by the Ministry of Education in Kenya's coast region resulted in the closure of 147 schools that failed to meet the required standards.
According to Hassan Duale, the Coast Regional Director of Education, some schools had untrained teachers, while others lacked basic facilities such as textbooks and classrooms.
Among the schools closed down was Journey of Hope Junior Academy in Nyali constituency, where 91 pupils were transferred to a nearby public school.
"Unfortunately, the children have no textbooks and in one classroom there were four classes congested in one room," Duale said.
Two school owners were arrested during the operation, which will continue until all unregistered and unsafe schools have been closed down.
The crackdown on unsafe schools comes in the wake of the collapsed classroom at Precious Talent Top School in Dagoretti, Nairobi, which left eight pupils dead and several others injured.
