MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (Issued under Article 35 (3) of the Constitution

Chaplains in Schools

Nairobi Education: January 31, 2021

The Ministry of Education is exploring ways and means of institutionalizing chaplaincy services in Basic education institutions in the country.

Jointly with the National Committee on Chaplaincy, the Ministry is working a framework under which chaplains can offer spiritual and moral guidance to learners in Basic Education institutions,

The Acting Director for Field Coordination and Co-curricular Activities (FC&CCA), Mr. Hassan Duale said the Ministry is working with Faith Based Organisations (FBO), under the auspices of National Committee on Chaplaincy Services in Schools, to develop rules and guidelines that will govern the operationalization of the service in schools.

Mr. Duale was addressing participants at a workshop on chaplaincy guidelines in basic education institutions and health and safety protocols for chaplaincy services in context of covid-19 pandemic at Kigali Teachers Training College in Embu County early in the week.

Mr. Duale said the Ministry and FBO looks forward to ensuring that chaplains helping students to cope with the ambiguities and complexities of life. He said inability to cope with stress and anxieties has capacity to disorient students who eventually engage in self destructive behavior,

He said the presence of chaplains will provide a listening ear and a caring presence for learners grappling with crisis of one kind or another or simply be around for those who need a friend to listen to.

Mr. Duale said the spiritual and moral guidance that the Chaplains will give will help prevent learners to adopt behavior that is destructive to them and also to schools and society at large.

Mr., Duale said the National Committee on Chaplains Services, which is chaired by National Association of Christian Chaplains, Rev John Gatu, has the mandate to develop guidelines on the delivery of chaplain’s services in schools.

Committee Chairman, Rev John Gatu is also the secretary of the National Association of Christian Chaplains (NACC).

Mr. Duale said the Committee, which draws membership from Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), National Conference of Catholic Bishops, Seventh-day Adventist (S.D.A), Evangelical Alliance of Kenya (E.A.K), Presbyterian Church of East Africa (P.C.E.A), HINDU Council and the Ministry of Education.

Mr. Duale said the Committee is in the process of developing a Draft guideline for the Provision of Chaplains services in Schools for consideration and validation by stakeholders before it can be rolled out in schools.

Ends 

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Kennedy Buhere
Communications Officer,
Ministry of Education,
P.O. Box 30040,
Nairobi.
www.education.go.ke
kbuhere@education.go.ke