- Education CS Julius Ogamba says day schools cannot require learners to report before 7:15am.
- Formal classroom instruction is scheduled to run from 8am to 3:30pm on weekdays.
- Schools can conduct co-curricular activities between 3:30pm and 4:45pm.
- Boards of Management remain responsible for learner safety, security and hygiene.
- The clarification follows concerns over children travelling to school very early in the morning.
Parents and learners have received fresh clarification on the hours that day schools should operate after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba addressed Parliament on the matter. Ogamba said schools are not permitted to compel learners to report before 7:15am. The provision applies to both public and private day institutions offering basic education and training.
The CS cited Regulation 84 of the Basic Education Regulations, 2015, which provides the legal framework for the reporting time. He explained that 7:15am is the earliest time a learner can be required to report, rather than the official beginning of lessons. The clarification is particularly important for families whose children have been expected to leave home before sunrise.
Reports have highlighted concerns about learners travelling in darkness, with some parents saying children are sometimes forced to wake up extremely early to make it to school. MPs have also questioned whether such arrangements expose young learners to unnecessary safety risks.
According to the schedule outlined by Ogamba, classroom instruction should run from 8am until 3:30pm from Monday to Friday. The period before 8am should therefore not be treated as compulsory classroom time simply because a learner has arrived at school. Schools must distinguish between the earliest reporting time and the actual start of formal lessons.
After classroom instruction, institutions may undertake co-curricular activities between 3:30pm and 4:45pm. This means the prescribed school timetable provides a defined structure for both academic and non-academic activities. Ogamba’s clarification is intended to ensure that institutions do not extend learning hours without regard to the existing regulations.
The issue has also attracted attention from lawmakers. Bahati MP Irene Njoki recently sought clarification on measures being taken to ensure schools follow the reporting hours, particularly in areas where insecurity and sexual and gender-based violence remain concerns. MPs said young children travelling very early could be exposed to additional risks on their way to school.
The school-hours debate is closely connected to the wider responsibility placed on institutions to protect learners. Under Regulation 81 of the Basic Education Regulations, responsibility for safety, security and hygiene in basic education institutions falls under the Board of Management. The boards are expected to put measures in place to protect learners while they are within school premises.
That responsibility can also extend beyond the school compound. Regulation 82 requires Boards of Management to take reasonable measures to safeguard learners when they are travelling for school-related activities. This places greater emphasis on how schools organise transport, trips and other movements involving children.
The Safety Standards Manual for Schools in Kenya, 2008, further provides guidance on physical security, hygiene, infrastructure, child protection, transportation and road safety. It also addresses disaster preparedness and the response to safety incidents within learning institutions.
Child protection remains a key concern
Ogamba also highlighted the measures contained in the education safety framework for dealing with abuse and other threats facing learners. Schools are expected to identify potential risks, monitor their safety environment and report suspected cases of abuse to the relevant authorities. Institutions should also maintain records of safety incidents and the action taken to address them.
The framework includes measures aimed at preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence in schools. Guidance and counselling services are also provided for under the Basic Education Regulations to help identify challenges affecting learners and facilitate appropriate support.
Parents and guardians also have a role to play in protecting children. The safety framework encourages cooperation between schools, families, communities, government agencies and local authorities, particularly where risks arise during a learner’s journey between home and school.
For parents, the key message is that 7:15am is the earliest permissible reporting time for learners in day basic education institutions. It does not mean every child must arrive at exactly 7:15am, nor does it change the official start of classroom instruction. Formal classes are scheduled to begin at 8am.
The clarification comes shortly before schools reopen for the third term. The Ministry of Education has separately confirmed that the 2026 Term Three reopening date remains August 24, despite false notices circulating online claiming that the reopening had been postponed.
Schools are therefore expected to align their timetables with the prescribed hours while ensuring learners are adequately supervised and protected. The emphasis from the Ministry is that academic programmes should not expose children to avoidable safety and welfare concerns. For parents, the 7:15am benchmark now provides a clear reference point when discussing early school reporting arrangements with institutions.
