The Covid-19 Education Response Committee chaired by Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Council chairperson Sara Ruto has recommended that schools, colleges and universities should re-open in September this year.
The team that was chaired by Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Council chairperson Sara Ruto also proposed that national examinations scheduled for November be taken in February 2021.
The preliminary report noted that Covid-19 pandemic was expected to drag on for several months. As such, adequate measures should be put in place before students could resume learning.
“Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Examination (KCSE) candidates will be the first to go back to school in September 2020,” a source told the Standard.
The publication added that the rest of the students would report to school two weeks after the candidates had.
This would help the schools meet the social distancing requirements and put in place other requirements by the government to combat the spread of the virus.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha set June 4 as the tentative opening date, pending the advice of the committee and the Ministry of Health.
However, that seems unlikely following rising cases of Covid-19 infections in the country.
“If and when we are going to make the pronouncements to either shift the calendar or open schools we shall wait for the appropriate time, which has not arrived. That opportunity will come as we together look at what the government is doing,” he had stated.
He further stated that the Education Ministry would ensure all children were placed on the same level when learning resumed, allaying fears that some students had an advantage over others.
The team tasked with issuing advise on when schools would re-open comprises of representatives of secondary and primary school heads, private schools, international schools, Kenya Special Schools Heads Association and parents’ associations.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Council of Churches of Kenya and Muslim Education Council.
