President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Education to postpone school opening following the ongoing rainfall that has caused flooding in various parts of the country.
Ruto while addressing the nation on Friday, said the school opening date be postponed “until further notice”.
The initial school reopening date had been pushed from Monday 29 April to Monday 6th May by Education cabinet secretary Ezekiel Machogu.
“The Ministry of Education is directed to postpone the reopening of all schools in the country for the second term until further notice,” said Ruto on Friday.
The directive by the President came just hours after CS Machogu issued a new circular with a guidance to parents and education officials and institutions ahead of the reopening on Monday.
CS Machogu, in a circular dated May 2, 2024, said the opening date that was pushed from Monday 29 April to Monday 6th May still stands, with parents and institutions urged to prioritise the children’s safety.
Machogu asked parents to ensure children arrive at school on time just as the institutions work to keep the learners safe amid the ongoing heavy rains.
“Ahead of the schools opening on May 6th, 2024… the prevailing weather conditions pose accessibility challenges due to flash floods, swollen rivers and landslides thus affecting the transport system for learners to and from school. Parents are, therefore, required to ensure that their children safely report to school on time,” the CS said.
“All heads of institutions, field education officers, parents and stakeholders are urged to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of learners, teachers and school community guided by the Meteorological Department weather forecast reports released from time to time,” he added.
However, the Ministry said that some of the schools that have been gravely damaged by floods and their infrastructure destroyed will remain closed as learning may not take place.
Machogu argued that some of the sanitation facilities may have been affected and therefore may pose health risks to students.
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