This archive report was first published on 7 October 2019.
On October 7, 2019, a multi-agency team launched a crackdown on substandard schools in the Coast region, closing down 147 private primary and secondary schools.
The operation, led by the Ministry of Education and the Interior and Coordination of National Security, targeted schools in Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River, and Lamu counties.
According to the Ministry of Education, the crackdown was prompted by the discovery of dilapidated and dangerous learning facilities, as well as untrained teachers.
Coast Regional Education Coordinator Hassan Duale described the closed institutions as 'crime scenes,' stating that no one should access the premises until investigations are complete.
'This operation will continue until we close down all unregistered learning institutions whose structures pose health and safety risks to our learners,' Mr. Duale said.
Despite the crackdown, candidates awaiting to sit for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education were reassured that they would not be affected, with all affected students being placed in nearby schools.
