Learners will stay longer at home after President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday announced that formal learning in all levels of education will resume from September 2020.
In his address to the Nation from State House-Nairobi, the president said he had directed the Ministry of Education in liaison with Ministry of Health to come up with modalities that will result in students resuming studies beginning September 2020.
“Following stakeholders’ consultation in the education sector, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education to jointly issue guidelines on a gradual return to normalcy in the education sector from September 1,” the president said.
The Head of State directed the Education Ministry to publish the new academic calendar by mid-August.
President Kenyatta said the Government had arrived at that decision to avert a possible spike in the number of Covid-19 infections in Kenya.
On Friday, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha hinted that schools will not be opened any time soon.
“The ministry will advise the level of preparedness that will be required of all stakeholders involved in the running of schools and teacher training institutions,” he said.
Magoha had set June 4 as the tentative opening date pending the advice of the committee and the Ministry of Health.
But rising Covid-19 cases saw the CS change tune on May 28, saying he will not gamble with the lives of learners.
“A child who is at home and alive is better than one who tried to do exams and died,” Magoha said while receiving the preliminary report of the committee.
The CS urged the team to prioritise the safety of learners and teachers in making its final recommendations.
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