Ministry of Education has threatened to shut down all boarding schools that are forcing students to live in school against their wishes.

The warning also goes to the day schools that are upgrading to boarding schools yet they don’t have the required standards to operate as one.

The Ministry of Education states that a student as a right to choose whether to be a border or a day scholar. This is because parents’ financial ability to support their children matters as others may not be able to raise the required amount of fees.

According to the Ministry of Education Principal Secretary Dr. Bellio Kipsang, some schools are forcing students in certain classes to become borders which is not acceptable by the ministry. His statement that condemned the act was addressed to regional, county and sub-county directors of education and school principals and managers.

The PS stated that the ministry is doing all it can in its capacity to ensure the safety of students in school. He called on school administrations to follow the rules set to give students the safety they deserve.

Dr. Kispang stressed that schools should not change the status to become a boarding school without the knowledge of the concerned bodies. He ordered that illegal boarding schools be closed and re-registration effected for those with changed status.

Parents who gave their complaints, in this case, said that once a school demands that their children should become borders, they are forced to buy pay for boarding fees. Students who fail to comply with these rules are sent home until they are able to provide what is required.