Hundreds of candidates are yet to report back as schools enter the third week since they reopened for in-person teaching.
University Education PS Simon Nabukwesi, who was on a weeklong visit to several learning institutions in Nyanza and Western Kenya regions, observed that some learners had failed to report to their respective schools for various reasons.
In the new academic calendar, KCPE exams will be concluded on March 24 with the KCSE examination marking expected to commence on April 19 and be concluded on May 7.
Schools in Kenya reopened for phase one on October 12, starting with Grade 4, Class 8, and Form 4.
Unicef warns that prolonged exposure means more children may drop out of the system.
The three classes account for about 2.8 million learners but no official data by the Education ministry has been released on the number of those back to school.
Nabukwesi says that principals in the affected institutions cited pregnancies as some of the reasons why some female students failed to turn up as they were nursing their babies.
So too, the PS indicates that male students had engaged in business thus absconding class.
Nabukwesi asked school heads to ensure that all learners, especially class eight and form four candidates, who are expected to sit the national examinations scheduled for next year, are in school.
Nabukwesi said the government is concerned about the safety, hygiene, and health of both learners and teachers and is currently monitoring the progress of the partial school re-opening in all counties to ascertain that the Covid-19 pandemic is contained.
He encouraged class 8 and form 4 candidates to work hard and concentrate on their studies so that they can move to the next level.
“Covid-19 pandemic is here with us but our lives have to continue, I urge you to observe the required protocols such as social distancing, frequent handwashing, wearing of face masks to avoid getting infected because we in the Ministry expect all of you to pass your exams and proceed to either join form one or university,” Nabukwesi said.
The PS noted that public institutions had challenges but assured the school heads that the government is doing its best to ensure funds are availed to aid in the expansion of facilities and purchase of Covid-19 prevention requirements.
