By Gran Chico | August 20, 2026
MOMBASA — Pwani Patriotic Religious Leaders (PPRL) have welcomed the Ministry of Education’s directive on official school learning hours, saying the move will give learners more time to pursue religious education alongside formal schooling.
The religious leaders made the remarks during a press briefing at Fayaz, near Lebanon Roundabout in Mombasa, where they discussed the importance of implementing and monitoring the directive ahead of the reopening of schools for Term Three.
The statement comes a day after Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba reaffirmed the official operating hours for day public and private schools.
Appearing before Parliament on Wednesday, August 19, CS Ogamba directed that classroom learning should run from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, followed by co-curricular activities from 3:30 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
He further clarified that schools should not require learners to report before 7:15 a.m., citing Regulation 84 of the Basic Education Regulations 2015.
The directive follows concerns that some schools have been requiring learners to report as early as 5:00 a.m. for remedial lessons, leaving them with limited time for rest, family responsibilities and religious instruction after school.
Speaking during the Mombasa briefing, PPRL Chairperson Sheikh Abu Qatada said the organisation fully supports the government’s position.
“We have supported the directive issued by the Education Minister Julius Migos. We are saying that this directive will help students study religious education. We have asked parents to accept this directive and let us work together to provide better upbringing. Let us unite so that children get both worldly education and religious education,” Abu Qatada said.
Sheikh Omar Mahmood also commended the government for recognising the needs of madrasa teachers and urged parents to take advantage of the additional time created by the directive.
“We congratulate the President and the Education Minister for supporting madrasa teachers. He said children were not getting time to study. Parents, let us take this matter seriously,” Mahmood said.
The religious leaders said prolonged school hours had previously denied many Muslim learners at the Coast adequate time to attend madrasa and other forms of Islamic religious instruction.
They argued that enforcing the official school timetable would promote a more balanced approach to education by giving learners opportunities to develop academically, socially and spiritually.
The PPRL, whose slogan is “Voices of Reason, Agents of Peace, Champions for the People,” also called on parents, teachers and school administrators to work together to ensure the directive benefits learners without compromising academic standards.
The position comes amid wider efforts by the government to recognise traditional religious education within Kenya’s education system.
Earlier this year, President William Ruto directed the Ministry of Education to begin consultations on the possible formal incorporation of madrasa, duksi and pastoral programmes into Kenya’s education framework under the Basic Education Act.
With schools scheduled to reopen for Term Three on August 24, education stakeholders at the Coast and across the country are expected to closely monitor how the new school-hours guidelines are implemented.
PPRL said proper enforcement would help protect learners from excessive academic pressure while ensuring they have adequate time for rest, family life, religious education and other important aspects of their development.
