All public learning facilities in Garissa are ready for the partial reopening of schools on Monday, county Education director Khalif Isaack Hassan has said.
Khalif said teachers, boards of management and support staff have been familiarised with the Ministry of Health protocols and are ready to receive the pupils and students next week.
The education executive was speaking in Garissa town on Thursday after inspecting schools in the urban centre.
On Wednesday, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha announced phased re-opening of schools with Grade 4, Standard 8 and Form 4 learners being the first to report back since the closure in March when the first Covid-19 positive case was announced.
Magoha also released the school calendar. The 11-week second term runs from October 12 to December 23.
Learners will take a one-week Christmas break until January 4, 2021, when the third term resumes until March 19.
The CS had a few days earlier told Parliament that the strategy was to ensure the academic year is recovered.
National examinations will be sat in March 2021. Standard 8 pupils will sit their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam between March 22 and March 24, while Form Fours will write their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examination papers from March 25 to April 16.
“For the past one week, we have taken our teachers through all the Ministry of Health protocols. We also involved the school management and non-teaching staff in rehearsals because they are part of the school community,” Khalif said.
He appealed to parents and guardians with Form 4 and Standard 8 candidates and Grade 4 pupils to take them to school on Monday.
Candidates sitting national exams at the Garissa Teachers’ Training College, TVET colleges and North Eastern National Polytechnic reopened on Monday.
Garissa Kenya National Union of Teachers executive secretary Abdirizak Hussein commended the Education ministry for the "bold step it had taken to partially re-open schools".
Abdirizak told reporters at the Garissa Primary School that the coronavirus "will be with us for months or years to come and schools will not be closed forever".
“We trust that the ministry will have put all the Ministry of Health protocols in place ahead of the Monday partial reopening of schools as announced by CS Magoha,” he said.
However, some parents complained that the reopening was rushed and feared it may have far-reaching health consequences on the children.
David Musyoka said the country risked losing all the gains made in containing the spread of the coronavirus.
“If I may ask, what is the hurry of reopening the schools while we know very well that the coronavirus is still a risk to the lives of Kenyans? Unless there is another agenda, the reopening of schools should be shelved until January next year,” Musyoka said.
He decried the haphazard way in which the ministry was managing the coronavirus issue.
“In August, Magoha announced the 2020 academic year was lost because of the Covid-19. Barely two months later he is rushing to re-open schools. What has changed?” he asked.
- mwaniki fm
