'School days should start at 8am, end at 3:45pm,' orders CS Machogu decrying mental torture

According to CS Machogu, the current curriculum causes mental torture on pupils by setting school days to start at needless early hours.

Addressing the media on Monday, CS Machogu noted that schools should adjust to the normal school calendar, noting that the recommended time is adequate to cover the syllabus in the required time.

"We have given very clear instructions as a ministry and taking into consideration the coverage of the syllabus. The syllabus will be adequately and properly covered from 8am to 3:45pm. Let us not subject our pupils to unnecessary mental torture," he said.

The Education ministry boss further cited examples from the early hours of day-schooling pupils and students wake up and then return home late.

This, he noted, is affecting the mental health of many learners and should be granted more time to rest and engage in extra-curriculum activities.

"We are subjecting our pupils, including those in PP1 and PP2, to unnecessary struggle because I have seen areas where they start their school day at 7 am and end it at 5 pm and even others at 6 pm," he noted.

"You find a 5-year-old kid is woken up at 5:00 am, taken to school, and leave school after 5:00 pm. This is even affecting the mental health of our young pupils. We want them to have enough rest and engage in sports. We don't want to subject them to a lot of unnecessary strain," he added. 

"Even the time for sleep for these young ones should be for around 9 to 10 hours. Let us make learning as natural as possible. We are not going to allow that because once it continues it will affect the mental health of our children."