Students ordered to attend school on Mazingira Day for tree planting
Education PS Julius Bitok instructed all regional, county, and sub-county directors of education to communicate this directive to head teachers in both public and private schools within their jurisdictions.
The Ministry of Education has directed all schools to ensure learners attend school tomorrow, Friday, October 10, between 8:00 am and 12:00 pm, and actively participate in tree planting exercises to mark Mazingira Day.
In a circular released on Thursday, Education PS Julius Bitok instructed all regional, county, and sub-county directors of education to communicate this directive to head teachers in both public and private schools within their jurisdictions.
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Bitok urged them to encourage active participation from alumni, current learners, and the local community to ensure the success of the exercise.
"To mark Mazingira Day on October 10, 2025, the Government has directed all Ministries, State Departments, and other public institutions to actively participate in tree planting across the country under the theme, 'Citizen-Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship'," the circular read in part.
"This year, the emphasis will be on the planting of fruit trees. Both public and private primary schools have been identified as the main venues for the exercise, with each school expected to plant a minimum of 2000 fruit trees."
The PS explained that the initiative aims to promote environmental conservation while enhancing school-based nutrition through the establishment and growth of fruit tree orchards in learning institutions.
It also seeks to strengthen school alumni networks by rallying support from former and current learners for initiatives that benefit their schools.
Historically, Kenya has marked October 10 as Moi Day to honour the country’s second president, Daniel Arap Moi, who passed away on February 4, 2020.
However, Moi Day was removed from the list of national holidays in August 2010 following the adoption of the new Constitution.
Under Uhuru Kenyatta’s tenure, the Cabinet approved renaming the day to Huduma Day in December 2019. In 2020, it was again renamed Utamaduni Day to celebrate the country’s diverse cultural heritage.
In 2024, President William Ruto assented to the Miscellaneous Amendment Bill 2024, which amended the Public Holidays Act (Cap. 110), allowing the renaming of Utamaduni Day to Mazingira Day.
The day encourages Kenyans to engage in various conservation efforts, including tree planting, aligning with the government’s goal of accelerating forest restoration and planting 15 billion trees by 2032 to combat the effects of climate change.
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