The government has suspended the registration certificate under which Happyland Preparatory School in Nairobi operates for providing holiday tuition.
School Head teacher Martin Maina Wanjema, who had earlier denied that the holiday tuition was taking place at the school, was taken up to record statement at the Buru Buru Police station regarding the illegal tuition.
The ban followed an impromptu inspection tour by Ministry of Education Officials, led by the Principal Secretary for Basic Education, Dr Belio Kipsang at the school Wednesday afternoon upon information that the school was conducting holiday tuition.
Education and security officers were surprised when they found about 100 pupils confined in one of the dormitories of the school.
The pupils were excited when they saw Dr Kipsang step into the dormitory, as they initially thought security officers had come to arrest them.
The PS condemned the confinement of the children against their will in the dormitory.
He warned that the leadership of any school offering holiday tuition outside the school calendar would face the law.
“The Basic Education Act outlaws holiday tuition,” Dr Kipsang said, noting that what the administration of Happy Land School was doing was illegal which would attract appropriate consequences.
The PS said all Education officers across the country should ensure that no illegal tuition, as defined in the Basic Education Act, took place within their respective jurisdictions.
The children were visibly happy with the turn of events, some shouting remarks to the effect that they had been forced to attend holiday tuition.
The Deputy Sub County Commissioner of Makadara Sub County, Ngumo Karuku said he would instruct Chiefs and their Assistants to ensure that no school within the area conducted holiday tuition.
The raid by at the school by the Principal Secretary is the third at the school.
The Director of Education Standards and Quality Assurance Officer, Pius Mutisya conducted a similar raid in August last year, while the area Sub-country Director of Education, Rhoda Nguru, conducted one in this year but the school did not stop the practice.
Dr Kipsang was accompanied by the Regional Coordinator for Education in Nairobi, Kike Abdikadir and Nairobi County Director of Education, Abdikadir H. Ali, and senior security officers.