Technical and vocational institutions are better suited to social distancing and reopening, Education CS George Magoha has said.
Magoha said Friday that the institutions can operate in shifts compared to both primary and secondary schools.
The CS said colleges can decide which parts of their programmes attend sessions so that they can create more space for social distancing.
Magoha met principals of Tivet institutions from Western Region and Rift Valley in Kisumu to discuss reopening plans.
He said that a physician from the Health ministry in Nairobi will visit the region and work with the institutions on what needs to be done.
“In terms of sanitiser, I am being told you can manufacture but be very careful the alcohol content must be at least 70 per cent. We have seen in the market there are already circulation of fake sanitiser,” he told the principals.
Magoha said that each institution must have access to medical facility close by to treat fevers from illnesses such as malaria to avoid stigmatisation.
The CS noted that social distancing could be a problem for primary and secondary schools but it should not stop them from preparing to reopen in September.
“It would be most unreasonable to expect the government to double or triple the facilities of learning institutions, which has taken years to build what is there,” he said.
Magoha said it would not be possible to change the school calendar to start in September because of East African Community protocols.
He said schools should only open when Covid-19 infectin has reached its peak and stabilised and starting coming down for 14 days.
