The Ministry of Education has issued a warning to schools operating outside of the legal hours when classes are to be conducted.
Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed noted that classes in all primary and secondary schools, both public and private, were expected to run between 8:00 am and 3:30 pm.
3:30 pm to 4:45 pm is set aside for games and club activities.
For boarding students, they can use the period between 5.00 pm to 9.30 pm to carry out self-directed learning while the period between 9.30 pm to 6.00 am is proscribed for rest according to the The Basic Education Regulations, 2014.
Amina declared that any other periods falling outside of those hours were illegal.
[caption caption="Kenyan students at a past forum"]
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The ministry vowed that action would be taken against schools which failed to operate in accordance with the stipulations.
Parents have in recent times complained about children, including those in lower levels of Primary School, being forced to wake up early to make it in time for morning classes that begin as early as 5 am.
In addition, children are sometimes burdened with unreasonable amounts of homework that they take on during the evenings.
This leaves them with little time for recreational activities or to learn other skills considered crucial for child development.
The Cabinet Secretary had earlier on Tuesday appeared before a parliamentary committee where she revealed how her son blamed her for not purchasing leaked Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam papers.
[caption caption="CS Amina Mohammed"]
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