Some schools may reopen in November and the Ministry of Education will on Monday begin the training process of heads of basic and higher learning institutions on health guidelines in preparation for the planned reopening.
Sonko News has established that the Ministry of Education in planning a phased reopening by November, allowing KCSE and KCPE candidates back to school.
According to Prof Magoha, only three technical and vocational colleges – Rift Valley Institute, Eldoret, and Nyeri Polytechnic were ready for reopening in line with the Covid-19 protocols.
“About 50 percent of the institutions are on a trajectory towards reopening. What has annoyed me is that this is the sixth week, yet we have to keep on saying the same things over and over. Once we are ready we will allow the students to sit their exams,” Magoha said.
The CS noted that TVET principals were too slow to implement the Covid-19 protocols.
“Institutions must ensure no one enters any facility without having sanitized. This is why sufficient water points have to be put up. There should be someone to ensure social distance is observed in the dining halls and if that is not possible, the table arrangement must be changed,” Magoha said.
Last week, the regional, county, and sub-county education directors began a similar training. The Ministry launched the training in Mombasa and has been virtually engaging county directors.
Before schools’ reopening, school heads are required to ensure adequate clean, running water and sanitation facilities in the institutions and procure water tanks were necessary. They are also required to come up with protocols on hygiene and social distancing measures before students go back to schools.
The other conditions are, the heads must buy liquid soaps, non-touch thermometers, disinfectants, face masks, and first aid kits.
Class teachers will be required to meet learners who are below nine years at the school’s gate at the start of the day and escort them to the exit at the pick-up times to limit the entry of non-school members in the institutions.
School events such as assemblies, inter-schools competitions like games, drama, music, and sports that created crowded conditions will be suspended.
Schools will only conduct class assemblies for prayers, announcements, and pass health messages.
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The Ministry also expects the washrooms, toilets, and bathrooms to be renovated and ensure they ease congestion.
Each school will also have to come up with a Covid-19 response committee of not more than five members.
On the schools’ reopening, the Kenya Union Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) secretary-general Akelo Misori asked the ministry to “firmly assure parents and learners that preparations have been done and that there should be no cause of alarm”.
Misori also asked the Ministry to release funds for the schools to enable preparations. He wants the Ministry of education to give out a comprehensive circular on school funding to address how infrastructure, social distancing, sanitizers, and water tanks will be provided.
Related: Magoha-KCSE and KCPE candidates likely to sit exams in April 2021
