Tag Archives: Schools reopening date

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Schools’ reopening fate to be announced next week

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National Covid-19 Education Response Committee winded up the exercise of collecting views from Kenyans on Friday evening. The week long exercise saw the committee receive various proposals from about 3,000 individuals and groups on how learning institutions should be reopened.

The committee will be writing a report advising the cabinet secretary on how best to reopen basic education institutions, review and reorganize the academic calendar among other tasks.

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PROPOSALS SUBMITTED TO THE COMMITTEE BY VARIOUS STAKE HOLDERS

A section of stake holders have been irked by a proposal by secondary school teachers’ representatives to have part of the learners back to school next month. The groups including the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and Kenya Human  Rights Commission (KHRC) in a statement this past week said proposal by Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) to partially reopen schools in June was ‘ill advised’.

“It is insensitive, pre-emptive, foolhardy and extremely wrong for anybody outside the medical profession or without medical expertise to propose the rushed reopening of schools in the wake of coronavirus pandemic, especially at this period when the virus is on spiral, threatening survival of humanity,” the three institutions said.

“Preliminary results from a rapid response survey rolled out by the agencies indicate that the situation on the ground is different and might require more effective measures to be put in place before such an action of reopening is undertaken,” they added.

The three groups have been bitter over the move by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha to exclude them from the committee tasked with coming up with proposals on how to restart learning.

And in expression of their anger, the three groups (Knut, KHRC and Kuppet) did not make their proposals to the constituted committee was just ‘a mere rubberstamp considering the manner in which it was constituted’. They said caution should be taken and there should be no rushed reopening of learning institutions. The ‘rebel’ group says provision of personal protective equipment and enforcement of other containment such as hand washing, fumigation of institutions and mass testing must be mandatory before schools reopen.

“It is worth noting that countries like France, which have attempted to reopen schools witnessed a resurgence of the virus, further affecting many teachers and learners,” reads the statement.

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Primary school heads on their part want the school annual calendar revised and KCPE and KCSE exams postponed until learners are well prepared to sit the examinations.

“The National examinations should be rescheduled to later dates when candidates are adequately prepared,” reads a proposal by Kenya Primary Schools Heads association (Kepsha) presented to the national covid-19 education response committee.

Kepsha says schools should not be reopened until the pandemic curve is flattened; adding that the situation will be worse in most schools that are overcrowded and social distancing would just be a mirage.

“The covid-19 spread in the country is rising day by day. Therefore, no schools should open until the virus is fully eradicated or brought under country in the country. In Nairobi county for instance, children are congested in the classrooms with so many pupils ranging from about 70 to 110 children per classroom in most schools”. add the primary school heads via a memo signed by the national chairperson, Nicholas Gathemia.

Among other proposals, the heads say class sizes should be reduced to have between 25-30 learners in order to attain social distancing and that the government should attach healthcare personnel to cluster of schools for regular monitoring; this is if schools must be reopened soon.

The committee will now retreat to write their report which will be submitted to president Uhuru Kenyatta before being made public next week; end of May.

The country will be waiting with bated breadth ahead of release of the report.

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Breaking Education News

Committee to oversee school reopening strategies constituted

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Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has today appointed a team to look at safe ways of reopening schools and planning the education calendar. The Committee dubbed ‘Covid-19 national education response committee’ will be tasked with coming up with strategies of restoring normality in the education sector.

“The Ministry has appointed a nine member committee to take charge of the process of exploring the best possible strategies of restoring normalcy in the sub-sector education,” reads a presser by CS Magoha.

Schools were expected to reopen on May 4, 2020 for commencement of the second term, but the April holiday was extended by one month to allow the Ministry plan on how to safely reopen the schools. Term one was terminated prematurely as a result of the covid-19 outbreak in the country.

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The nine member committee, that kicks off its operations immediately, will be chaired by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development chairperson Dr. Sarah Ruto.

The ministry is grappling with a limited time ahead of this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, and Kenya Certificate of Primary Education, KCPE, examinations.

The Ministry insists the examinations will go on as planned.

While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Education last week CS Magoha said it was difficult to state the exact reopening date for schools; saying that the ministry values the safety of learners and other stakeholders.

Teachers’ unions sidelined

Learners are already receiving daily lesson broadcasts as one of the measures put up by the Ministry to try and recover lost time.

“The Ministry has come up with measures to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 in the education sector, including mounting of online learning and the drafting of a master plan to guide the response to covid-19 in the education sector,” adds the CS.

The other members to the committee have been drawn from various departments in the education sector. Stakeholders have also been brought on board. While parent and heads associations have been given slot in the committee, teachers’ unions have received a wide berth. Both the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, KUPPET, and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) will be observing from the sidelines.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion.
KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion.

KNUT secretary general, Hon. Wilson Sossion, is rooting for phased reopening of schools; with candidates (class 8 and form four candidates) to be given first priority.

Table 1: Members to the Covid-19 national education response committee
S/N NAME INSTITUTION
1 Dr. Sarah Ruto Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, KICD
2 Mr. Indimuli Kahi Chairman, Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, Kssha,
3 Mr. Nicholas Gathemia Chairman, Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association, Kpsha,
4 Mr. Peter Ndolo Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Kenya Private Schools Association (kpsa)
5 Mr. Nicholas Maiyo Chairman, Kenya Parents Association (kpa)
6 Mr. Augustine Muthigani Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops
7 Ms. Jane Mwangi Kenya Association for for independ international schools
8 Dr. Nelson Makanda National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK)
9 Sheikh Munawar Khan Muslim Education Council
10 Mr. Peter Sitienei Chairman Kenya Special Schools Heads Association

 

Table 2: Ex-Officio Members

The Committee’s secretariat, that will be based at the KICD offices in Nairobi, will have the following ex-officio members:

S/N NAME INSTITUTION
1 Ms. Ruth Mugambi Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development
2 Mr. Ptrick Ochich Kenya National Examinations Council
3 Mr. Gabriel Mathenge Teachers Service Commission
4 Mr. Paul Kibet Director, Secondary Education; Ministry of Education
5 Ms. Anne Gachoya Directorate of policy, parternerships and EAC
6 Dr. Loice Ombajo Ministry of Health/ University of Nairobi
Breaking Education News

How to present your thoughts on schools’ reopening 

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The National Covid-19 Education Response Committee is racing against time to come up with proposals on the Kenyan academic calendar and schools’ reopening. The committee’s chairperson Sarah Ruto has invited all stakeholders and the public to submit their views on the best possible practices in returning the education sector to normalcy.

The general public has up to May 22, 2020 to submit their proposals to the committee.

“Pursuant to article 10 (1) and (2) of the constitution and section 4(I) of the Basic Education Act, No. 14 of 2013, the committee now invites all stakeholders and the public to submit their views on the best possible national response (on how to address the current crisis created by the covid-19 pandemic),” says Dr Sara Ruto, the committee’s chairperson, via a memoranda.

The committee is seeking input on how to safely execute the reopening of Basic education institutions. These institutions, that were closed indefinitely in mid-March, include Pre-primary, primary, secondary schools and Teacher Training Colleges.

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How to submit your opinion.

The committee also expects submissions on how to reorganize the school calendar and give views on the fate of boarding schools. Input is also required on the possible health measures that should be put in place for the learners and teachers to curb spread of the virus in schools once they reopen.

The National COVID-19 Committee now invites all stakeholders and the public to submit their views on the best possible national response in line with the committee’s terms of reference for the basic education sub-sector

Wondering how to make your contribution? Kenyans wishing to make a contribution are at liberty to do so by sending a written memoranda to the Secretariat. This can be done via e-mail to covid19erc@kicd.ac.ke or through the postal office by using the address P.O. Box 30231-00100, Nairobi.

already some citizens have turned to social media platforms to air their views. But, this may not bear much fruits as the committee will only consider suggestions shared via the official email and postal addresses.

The Dr. Sara Ruto-led committee is faced with the daunting task of address such concerns as how social distancing would be achieved in the already overcrowded public schools.

Breaking Education News

Push KCPE, KCSE exams to 2021, open schools when it is safe- Lobby advises

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A group of unions is proposing that learners to continue staying at home for longer, citing the ‘unsafe’ school environment due to the current covid-19 pandemic. The group comprised of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and Universities Academic Staff Union (Uasu) wants the government not to rush into schools’ reopening as it may lead to multiple infections by corona virus.

“Reopening of schools, colleges and universities must be transparent, phased and coupled with clear communication by government and public universities, colleges and schools, with the input of public health professionals, front-line healthcare professionals, educators, academic staff and the unions,”  said the unions in a joint presser on Wednesday.

The national covid-19 education response committee is currently working on recommendations on how to reopen basic learning institutions; with the report expect in a matter of few days.

According to knut secretary general, Wilson Sossion, learners should continue staying at home where they are otherwise safer.

“We would rather have all our children staying at home, safe and alive and repeating a year rather than sending them to school to die. The world will not come to an end if we suspend certain matters,” Sossion said during the joint presser.

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On the KCPE and KCSE examinations, the group is proposing that they be postponed till normalcy reigns; even it will be in November next year.

“We’ve heard of people talking about Form Four and Class Eight reopening. These are human beings; the world will not come to an end. Children can repeat a class, better save lives first. Even if the exams are pushed to November 2021, if we can evade death, let’s do so. The world will not come to an end if we suspend certain matters… Nobody in this country should gamble with the lives of learners and teachers. For now, open bars and test social distancing. KCPE and KCSE are not a ticket to heaven” he added.

KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion. He now wants both the KCPE and KCSE to be postponed to 2021 following disruptions to the education sector occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The group also holds that well laid plans must be worked out before learning institutions are reopened. This includes fumigation and testing of the learners.

“It is advisable to maintain the closure of Kenyan educational institutions and universities until the number of new cases stabilizes or declines for at least 14 consecutive days, before considerations for phased re-opening begins,” reads the group’s report; in part.

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With Uganda set to reopen schools next month, it is highly likely that Kenya may consider going the same direction. But, the lobby says more needs to be done before such a move is undertaken.

“Set up treatment facilities to handle any cases that might arise to ensure access to health services by teachers, lecturers, non-teaching staff and learners…. Provide sustainable supply of Personal Protective Equipment for teachers, workers and students,” the report further adds.

Breaking Education News

Full speech by CS Magoha on schools’ reopening

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Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha received the final report and recommendations from the committee that was formed to advise him on how schools are to be safely reopened. The report by the national covid 19 education response committee was presented to him on Friday and will form the basis of the ministry’s next course of action. Here is what CS Magoha had to say;

“In his address during the Madaraka Day celebrations on June 1, 2020, His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Ministry of Education to fast track the ongoing consultations with education stakeholders to provide appropriate school calendar for the gradual resumption of learning.

As you are aware, the Ministry of Education appointed the COVID-19 National Education Response Committee on May 12, 2020 to advise the Cabinet Secretary on the measures to be taken to ensure a return to normality in the basic education sector in the Coronavirus era.

On May 29, 2020, the Committee presented a preliminary report to the Cabinet Secretary for initial feedback as the team continued with further consultations.
The Ministry is today happy to receive the final report, which has credible proposals on the way forward in seeking a resumption of learning, whenever it is considered appropriate as guided by the Ministry of Health and other arms of Government.

We wish to note that the Ministry will take seriously the recommendations of this Committee and use them to step up further dialogue with all other stakeholders within and without Government to ensure appropriate and decisive measures are put in place to facilitate resumption of learning.

The Government, in consultation with development partners, is putting in place mitigation measures in all schools to prevent COVID-19 from penetration to the learning institutions.

We assure the public that the Government will provide further direction this weekend regarding the extended closure of schools, given that some of main COVID-19 restrictions are set to expire.
Further, the Ministry will review the report before advising the country on the steps to be taken regarding the academic calendar, and the level of preparedness that will be required of all stakeholders involved in the running of ECD centres, primary and secondary schools, and teacher training institutions. It should be instructive that all decisions will be made based on data and evidence provided by the Ministry of Health.

On a sad not, the Ministry has noted that some parents, guardians and care givers are not providing sufficient care of their children while at home. For instance, we have received reports that four of Form One girls have become pregnant since the schools were closed in March, 2020.

Additionally, you may have noted that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations has sent out a cautionary statement warning of internet child abusers who have started luring children into all manner of cyberspace offenses after invading their digital learning classes.

The Ministry wishes to urge parents, guardians and caregivers to firmly take charge of the custody of their children while at home and protect them from sexual and drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, female genital cutting and child labour. It is necessary to guarantee the safety and health of children while at home. All offenses against learners must be reported to the National Government Administration Officers and Directorate of Criminal Investigations as directed.

Through the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development, the Ministry has extended lessons provided through the broadcast, online and digital learning until such time that schools are reopened.”

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