Schools will go on during the much awaited ‘Mazingira Day’ formerly known as ‘Moi Day’ and later ‘Utamaduni Day’.
Teachers and learners were anticipating for a break on Thursday 9th October afternoon to mark Mazingira Day on Friday 10th October which is a public holiday.
During this day most businesses are closed. Schools also do not operate as learners stay at home.
However there is a paradigm shift this time round as the government has directed all Ministries, State Departments and other public institutions to actively mark the day by participating in tree planting.
This means schools will go on and teachers and learners will be in school to plant trees.
Under the theme ‘Citizen-Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship’, this year’s emphasis has been put on planting fruit trees.
Effectively, Basic Education Principal Prof. Julius Bitok says that the Ministry of Education has identified both public and private primary schools that will act as the main venues for the exercise.
Each schools, PS Bitok says, is expected to plant a minimum of 2,000 fruit trees.
“The objective is to promote environmental conservation while enhancing school-based nutrition through the establishment/growth of fruit tree orchards in learning institutions,” PS Bitok emphasised, adding that “the exercise also aims to foster strong school alumni networks by rallying former and current learners’ support for initiatives that benefit their institutions.”
PS Bitok is banking on regional directors of education, county directors of education as well as the sub-county directors of education to oversee this exercise in their jurisdiction.
Consequently, PS Bitok has directed the education administrators to ensure the following actions have been undertaken, for the success of the fruit tree planting exercise in schools:
1) Communicate the directive to head teachers in public and private schools in your jurisdiction.
2) Encourage the active participation of the alumni, current learners and the local community in the exercise.
3) Ensure learners are in school on Friday 10th October 2025 from 8am-12 pm in appreciation of the day being a public holiday.
4) Ensure effective coordination of the relevant activities.
“Your cooperation in ensuring the successful celebration of Mazingira Day 2025 is highly appreciated,” PS Bitok says.