After several months of school closure and lack of proper direction from the Ministry of Education led by CS George Magoha, learners are set to go back to class as early as October.
This development comes after Education CS George Magoha softened his earlier stance that schools will not Reopen until January 2021.
In a raft of proposals by education stakeholders yesterday chaired by George Magoha at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, KCSE and KCPE candidates have been given priority to go back to learning for their second term in a calendar year hugely disrupted by the covid-19 pandemic.
The Covid-19 Education Emergency Response Committee chaired by KICD chairperson Sarah Ruto further proposed for the National Examinations candidates begin their third term in January and sit their exams in April 2021.
The CS gave the committee to fine tune the finer details to be presented during an impromptu national education conference slated for next week.
According to a report by the local dailies, if the proposal is adopted, over 750,150 KCPE candidates will sit for their exams from April 1st to 4th.
The developments come at a time coronavirus curve is dipping with health experts stating that the country is headed on the right direction.
The Head of Infectious Diseases at Kenyatta National Hospital Loice Ombaja while shading more light on the need to reopen the country said that Kenya’s positivity rate is currently below 5 per cent, the WHO recommended threshold for reopening the country.
“It’s time to review the earlier proposals regarding the reopening of schools. We are looking at all aspects but have not come to a consensus on when schools can reopen or set any date”
Education CS, Prof. George Magoha has announced that the ministry is currently in talks with relevant stakeholders to determine the reopening of schools, he added that his ministry will make a formal announcement.pic.twitter.com/kqABMYoMox
— ONE MINUTE KENYA (@OneMinuteKenya) September 14, 2020
The CS further told the KICD meeting that Universities and Colleges have been given the green light to begin preparations for on-campus learning before the year ends.
The Education Minsitry says that it has budgeted 1.9 billion shillings for school furniture as the ministry seeks to implement safe social distancing for learners.
More than 622, 000 lockers and chairs are expected to be supplied to all public primary and secondary schools by October 19 to fill additional learning spaces in dining halls and other school facilities.
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