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The Kenyan government said on Tuesday that it was designing a programme to make primary education free and compulsory throughout the country, the 'Daily Nation' reported. The newspaper quoted Assistant Education Minister Joshua Orwa Ojode as saying that it was expected the Universal Primary Education Programme would be discussed at a education stakeholders forum next year, and subsequently presented to parliament for approval. "The forum will collate views from wananchi [citizens] on how best the programme will benefit children," Ojode said. It was expected that implementation of the programme would begin in January 2003, he added.
The programme plans to empower local chiefs to compel all children over six years of age to attend school. "Administrators will be made to explain why they cannot compel children of school-going age to attend school. Those who fail in their duty will be prosecuted," Ojode said.
According to the 'Daily Nation', Ojode told the Nairobi City Council to discontinue its Ksh 10,000 (US $130) pupil registration fee. "It is evil to charge the registration fee, because it is not approved by the ministry. They should first apply to the ministry and justify why they must charge the levy," Ojode said.
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