Kenyan Government Clarifies Uniform Policy for Junior Secondary School StudentsMining Sector Reforms Boost Employment Prospects for Kenyan Youth

NAIROBI – In a recent clarification by the Kenyan Government, no learner joining Junior Secondary School (JSS) should be denied entry due to the lack of new school attire. This announcement comes in response to various reports by the Ministry of Education regarding certain JSS charging extra fees and insisting on new uniforms for incoming Grade 7 students.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Central Region Director of Education, pupils unable to acquire new uniforms can continue wearing their old primary school attire until their guardians can afford the new set. This directive aligns with the government’s policy of distinct uniforms for JSS students, aiming to distinguish Grade 7 pupils from their younger counterparts. Aroni emphasized the importance of accommodating families’ financial situations, ensuring that no learner is inconvenienced by the transition.

The clarification follows a press statement released on January 12 by Education Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Ezekiel Machogu. He addressed several issues, including the directive allowing Grade 7 learners to attend school in their former uniforms while parents work towards purchasing the new JSS-specific attire. Additionally, Dr. Machogu instructed schools to refrain from requesting funds from parents for constructing Grade 8 classrooms, affirming the government’s commitment to allocate Sh 12.8 billion over the next year to build more than 15,000 classrooms for this purpose.

Aroni also addressed the disbursement of government funds for school capitation, confirming that the necessary amounts have been transferred to individual school accounts. Contrary to claims of non-receipt of funds by school heads, she stated that there have been no complaints from any school principal in the region regarding this issue.

Earlier this month, the government announced the release of Sh.31.34 billion for capitation ahead of school reopening on January 8. Out of this, Sh.4.74 billion was allocated to the State Department for Basic Education for free primary education for Term 1, with an additional Sh.7.6 billion set aside as capitation for JSS.

VOI, TAITA-TAVETA COUNTY – The reform of the mining sector in Kenya, particularly in Taita-Taveta County, is creating a new frontier for job creation among the youth. The Voi SGR station in Taita-Taveta County is home to an artfully designed gemstone shop, showcasing a range of jewelry adorned with locally sourced gemstones, reflecting a successful intersection of modernity and tradition.

According to Kenya News Agency, a gemstone marketer at Taita Gems Shop at Voi SGR station, these reforms have opened up myriad opportunities in the gemstone value chain for local youth. The shift towards value addition in gemstone processing has notably increased the earnings of artisanal miners. The shop, strategically located to serve the hundreds of commuters and tourists using the SGR station daily, offers a variety of jewelry pieces made from semi-precious stones such as tourmaline, aquamarine, and red garnets. Ms. Walowe notes that the shop also caters to specialized orders for jewelry decorated with rarer stones like sapphires, rubies, and Tsavorite.

Driven by her growing fascination with gemstones, Ms. Walowe plans to enroll in a lapidary course at Taita-Taveta University to become a professional gemstone cutter, addressing the local shortage in this skillset.

Mr. David Zowe, Chairperson of Taita-Taveta Artisanal Miners, credits the increase in youth participation in the mining sector to the decriminalization of artisanal mining and a reduction in bureaucratic hurdles. He observes that this policy change has made the sector more accessible and appealing to unemployed youth. Taita-Taveta County now boasts over three thousand artisanal miners, with more than half of them being youth. These young miners engage in various stages of the mineral processing chain, including mining, cutting, and dealing.

Mr. Javan Mghendi, CEO of Javan International Gem Export and Jewelry Shop, highlights the importance of apprenticeship programs for training young mineral dealers in identification, selling, and faceting of gemstones. He currently employs six youths in such a capacity-building program.

The State Department for Mining outlines that the ongoing reforms aim to open up the sector to thousands, with measures including lifting the moratorium on mining, re-issuing mining licenses, forming marketing cooperatives for artisanal miners, and decentralizing mineral laboratories to the county level. Mining Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi emphasizes that these reforms are intended to benefit local communities and attract investors, injecting growth into the sector.

These reforms are not only limited to Taita-Taveta but also extend to other counties rich in minerals such as gold, gypsum, granite, and copper. The government is seeking an investor to establish a gold smelting plant in Migori to enhance profitability for artisanal gold miners.

Despite the progress, miners are calling on the state to enforce mining laws more strictly to combat the issue of unlicensed dealers and sellers. They suggest that all precious stones be processed through the state-regulated Voi Gemstone Center to protect Kenyan brands, markets, and profits.