CONFIRMED: SCHOOLS TO REOPEN IN JANUARY 2021; HERE ARE THE FULL DETAILS OF CS MAGOHA’S SPEECH ON THE NEW ACADEMIC CALENDAR

CONFIRMED: SCHOOLS TO REOPEN IN JANUARY 2021; HERE ARE THE FULL DETAILS OF CS MAGOHA’S SPEECH ON THE NEW ACADEMIC CALENDAR

CS Magoha has announced plans to shelve the initial plan by the education ministry to reopen basic education institutions in September 2020.

This follows recommendations given by the education stakeholders in various consultative meetings.

Speaking at the KICD offices in Nairobi today, the CS also added that the KCPE and KCSE national exams will be pushed to the year 2021. Therefore, the entire 2020 academic year will be considered lost and written off.

Colleges and other tertiary institutions will however reopen in September 2020 if they meet the irreducible minimum for reopening.

The President has already accepted the recommendation presented by CS Magoha today.

Irreducible Minimum

Some of the irreducible minimum requirements for reopening include: Reducing physical contact between learners and schools should only reopen when the curve is flattened.

Social and physical distancing is the most critical factor in ensuring the safety of learners but with the 100 percent transition

Besides, all learning institutions must ensure the proper use of sanitizers and regular hand washing.

KNUT

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion also affirmed that the unions have been deeply engaged in the schools’ reopening process and thanked the doctors for their input. He reiterated Magoha’s stance that schools be reopened once the curve is flattened.

Sossion also urged all Kenyans to respect the decision pronounced by the CS today.

Nicholas Maiyo, the head of the Parents Association also said that the health and safety of our children are paramount.

“Since the figures are rising, parents feel that schools should reopen once the curve has flattened to ensure that schools are safe since it is impossible to achieve social distancing at the moment,” said Maiyo.

He also presented parents’ suggestion that the year 2020 be written off and learning to resume in the year 2021.

Dr. Nancy Macharia

Speaking at the KICD offices today, the newly reappointed TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia also backed up Magoha’s plan to reopen schools in 2021. She noted that teachers are a critical resource within the education system whose safety cannot be simply ignored.

“For a successful reopening of schools, the safety of teachers and learners must be ensured. Teachers are also individuals and parents, therefore they will need psychosocial support as they report back to work,” said Dr. Macharia.

The TSC boss also said that the Commission will have to find a way of ensuring the safety of teachers who are 58 years and above and those having underlying conditions before schools reopen.

Dr. Macharia further noted the biting teacher shortage in the country which is a big challenge even if classes were to resume for candidates.