Gay students to be banned from boarding schools in Kenya?

Homosexual students in boarding schools in Kenya would have to ensure they don’t infringe on the rights of other learners in order to retain their space in the boarding school.

Kenya's education minister, George Magoha said those "moving from one bed to another" should be admitted to "day schools".

The minister explained that though he has nothing against gay students, he believes having them in day schools would allow closer supervision by their parents.

This warning comes after a male secondary school student was reportedly assaulted at a boarding school in the capital, Nairobi.

This is not the first time the minister is issuing this warning.

In December last year, Magoha who also doubles as the Education Cabinet Secretary raised this issue which sparked a protest by a group of Kenyan LGBT students who took to the streets of Nairobi.

MaryLiz Biubwa, one of the protesters, said Magoha’s comment was beginning to affect some schools.

"Because of the directive Magoha has given, I have two students who have reached out, one I am planning to start the journey of helping them tomorrow because she was already sent out of school. She has KCSE in March, she can’t go back because she will be told she is gay,” said Biubwa.

In their two-page petition to the education secretary, the protesters called on him to withdraw his remarks and to criminalize all types of phobias which they say put people's lives at risk, including the lives of homosexual students.

It however appears the plea by the group did not receive any positive feedback resulting in the recent warning by the minister.

The education minister's statement has stimulated mixed reactions online: some say his comments are discriminatory, while others are supportive.

On Monday, the minister said an earlier statement had been misunderstood to mean that gay students should be expelled from boarding schools.