The Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for students seeking to travel out of the country to ensure their safety and to track their progress.
Through a statement dated Monday, October 3, the Ministry explained that students will first be expected to obtain a letter from the school.
If the school is facilitating the travel, it will be required to provide a full list of students with their names, dates of birth and attach a copy of their birth and passport certificate.
In the latest directives, parents will be required to give consent which the ministry will prove through a copy of their identity cards accompanied by a letter from the school.
“All children, whether in or out of school should seek clearance from the Director of Children Services,” Mary Gaturu, the Director of Quality Assurance and Standards in the Ministry of Education stated.
According to Gaturu, students will also be expected to submit a letter of invitation from the host institution to be granted permission to fly out of the country.
In the guidelines set to streamline cross-border facilitation by the Ministry of Education, teachers will also be required to get clearance from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
“Teachers from private schools to avail copies of Passports, ID Cards and appointment and introduction letters from the school,” Gaturu outlined.
In addition, teachers will also be required to provide medical insurance cover for all students set to fly out of the country.
In the latest guidelines, school heads will be expected to explain how the students will account for the time lost during their international travels.
“In cases where children travel outside the country during school term, the Principal/Head teacher should give a letter of commitment on how the time lost will be recovered,” Gaturu made it clear.
According to the Ministry of Education, students will not be allowed to travel for more than two weeks when schools are in session. The same applies during holidays where travel time has been limited to three weeks.
Where a group comprises both boys and girls, even if it is only one boy or one girl, there must be both male and female adults accompanying them, the Ministry insisted.
Other requirements include proof of sponsorship, court order in respect of legal guardianship and copy of student’s passport.
“Documents to be arranged in accordance with the list of students and filed in clear folder,” Gaturu stated.
The guidelines are set to guide teachers, and parents to plan in advance in collaboration with the government to ensure students travelling even for academic purposes are well tracked and their progress accounted for.
