Concern is mounting across the country after the government raised the alarm over empty classrooms in C4 schools, warning that thousands of learners are still missing weeks after schools reopened.
In a firm directive, the government has now ordered local leaders, education officers and chiefs to immediately locate students who are yet to report to school, particularly in institutions classified under Category 4 (C4), which largely serve learners from vulnerable and low-income backgrounds.
Education officials say spot checks revealed rows of empty desks, with some schools recording alarmingly low attendance despite having adequate teachers and facilities. The situation has been blamed on a mix of school fees challenges, child labour, early marriages, teenage pregnancies and family displacement.
Local administrators have been instructed to conduct door-to-door follow-ups, engage parents and guardians, and submit reports explaining why learners are not in school. School heads have also been told to compile updated attendance registers to help trace the missing students.
“This is not just a school issue; it is a community responsibility,” an official said, warning that any parent deliberately keeping a child out of school will face action under existing education laws.
Education stakeholders fear that prolonged absence could widen inequality, with C4 schools bearing the brunt while well-resourced institutions enjoy full attendance.
The government insists that every learner must be back in class, stressing that no child should be left behind due to poverty or neglect as the academic calendar gathers pace.
