Education stakeholders have backed the push to have schools partially reopened.
Submissions to the Covid-19 Education Response Committee want institutions reopened for a month.
Schools have lost five weeks of learning and will have lost seven weeks when the closure extension expires on June 4.
The committee was formed to craft a back-to-school roadmap and advise the Education CS on steps to take. The team is chaired by Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development chairperson Sara Ruto.
The committee began collecting views on Friday.
Stakeholders say the ministry should conduct an audit of the materials and supply chain for cleaning, disinfecting and preventing the spread of the disease should children return to school.
It has been proposed that schools be initially reopened for Form 3 and 4 students, while the rest will only be allowed back depending on the outcome of the month-long assessment.
If the virus spreads among learners, then the government could extend the closure.
It has been proposed that teaching staff be instructed to ensure social distancing among students and keep many school buildings closed.
Another suggestion is for teachers to hold sessions outside the classroom.
The proposal is pegged on the government’s ability to keep the virus spread in check in the next three months.
This complicates some academic activities such as syllabus coverage. The KICD recommends schools finish the syllabus by October.
The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination is scheduled to start on November 2 and end on November 3, while the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam is set to start on November 4 and end on November 30.
Another suggestion fronted is to shorten the third-term holiday, which runs for two months, to two or three weeks.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha previously ruled out the possibility of postponing the national examinations.
However, submissions to the committee note that for learners to recover the lost time, exams will need to be adjusted slightly.
Other proposals include eating into the midterm, August and December holidays.
President Uhuru Kenyatta in April hinted at a partial reopening of schools and dismissed speculation that the KCPE and KCSE exams could be cancelled.
Speaking during a live radio interview from State House, Nairobi, he said the Education ministry will look at measures to enable candidates to sit the exams.
Edited by R.Wamochie
