President Uhuru today announced that one-on-one classes in basic institutions of education will resume fully next year. The President’s announcement comes at a moment when a number of schools have reported COVID-19 cases.
This simply means that for the other learners who were not lucky to return to schools this year, 2020 might be a lost year for them.
A sharp surge in COVID-19 cases has led to many parents calling for closure of the currently open schools but now it seems students and pupils in Form Four, Class 8 and Grade 4 respectively will remain in schools for the foreseeable future.
Following the death of Tononoka Secondary School Principal Mr. Khamis, there have been widespread concerns about the safety of students and pupils in schools. Some Kenyans have felt the government should close schools while others have paid school fees for their children to ensure they continue learning without any disruptions.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha recently addressed those concerns saying that schools will not be closed despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
Speaking during a visit to Uhuru Gardens Primary School in Langata where the CS checked the condition of the progress of the desks supplied to the school. Magoha said that the increasing COVID-19 cases are not existing only in Kenya, and therefore it should not raise any concerns as the same situation is prevailing in other places too.
The bigger issue, according to Magoha, is whether the government should allow the other learners to reopen, or not.
“As far as the rising numbers are concerned, yes, it is spiking. However, it is not spiking in this country alone. What we are grappling with is whether we will open for the other learners or not. However, we have not made a formal decision on this,” said CS Magoha.
Besides, the CS said that the Ministry of education is working together with the Ministry of Health and Interior to see that children receive the best.
“The government is totally in control of the situation. My Ministry and the Ministry of Health and Interior are working to ensure that our children get the best from us,” added CS Magoha.
Magoha on the National Examinations
The CS said that the National Examinations for the 1.9 million KCSE and KCPE candidates will begin in March and proceed as announced earlier.
“We have not made any changes and we are not planning to shut down due to COVID-19. For now, the timetable for examinations will remain and children should continue preparing for the examinations,” said Magoha.
The 2020 KCPE candidates are set to sit for their examination on March 22, 2021, two days after the official end of the third term.
On the other hand, KCSE examinations will commence on March 25, and end on April 16, 2021, to allow for marking of those examinations to begin.