Education Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang has reaffirmed the continuation of the ban on social activities in schools for the third term.
In a circular issued on Wednesday, Dr. Kipsang reiterated that events such as prayer days for national exam candidates and school visits will remain prohibited throughout the term. He instructed regional, county, and sub-county education directors to ensure strict enforcement of this directive.
“This circular is a directive to ensure that schools do not hold any of these activities. Please make sure all schools within your jurisdiction are informed of this policy,” he stated.
The ban on third-term social activities was first introduced in May 2016 by former Cabinet Secretary for Education Fred Matiang’i. The prohibition includes prayer days, visiting days, half-term breaks, sports events, prize-giving ceremonies, and annual general meetings.
This policy was designed to limit interactions between candidates and outsiders, with the goal of reducing cheating during the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams. Matiang’i noted that prayer days in the final term had frequently been exploited as opportunities to exchange materials used for cheating during the exams.
