Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba with the leadership of the Global Peace Foundation on August 17, 2026. [Courtesy]
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has warned schools against breaching official learning hours, directing both public and private institutions to adhere to ministry regulations.
This follows parents and legislators have raised fresh concerns over the safety and wellbeing of learners who are required to leave home in the early hours of the morning to attend school, with some children reportedly waking as early as 4am.
Ogamba said schools should not require learners to report before 7.15am, while official classroom learning runs from 8am to 3pm. He warned that institutions operating outside the approved hours would face disciplinary action.
“We have a regulation policy, school begins at 8:00 am and closes at 3:00 pm for classes. These are the official hours set by the ministry,” Ogamba said.
The concerns have renewed debate over school reporting times and whether academic pressure is exposing children to unnecessary risks.
He added that the ministry would work with other government agencies to enforce the regulations, with administrative action taken against schools that disregard the guidelines.