15 primary schools in Mau Forest will be closed as the government plans the second phase of evictions to rid the Mau forest of human settlements.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said the schools have been set up in the area illegally.
While issuing a warning to leaders who are opposing the eviction exercise, Natembeya said some leaders colluded with headteachers to establish schools in the area using state funds.
He said the schools are not government institutions and have not been registered with the Ministry of Education.
Speaking during a tour of the forest on Wednesday, the regional commissioner added that teachers working in these schools have not been deployed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“The Government considers these schools illegal structures that have not been mandated to take in pupils.”
“It is true the funds used to construct the schools came from the Government. It should, however, be noted that headteachers who received this money legally were deceived into building the illegal schools on forest land,” said Natembeya as quoted by standardmedia.co.ke.
The primary schools to be affected include Kirobon, Kitoben, Ogilgei, Senetwet, Kapsibilwo, Indianit, Kabarak, Chebetet, Noosogami, Chorwet, Sebetet, Olabai, Koitabai, Chebirbelek, and Lelechwet.