A Cabinet Secretary on Wednesday downplayed calls by a section of legislators to rethink the reopening of schools for candidates.
Mutahi Kagwe, who is in charge of health, said the reopening of examination classes was to help in the transition to the next grade.
He was before the National Assembly Committee on Health alongside the Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang.
Cherangany MP Joshua Kutuny accused the ministry of not preparing enough and of premature reopening of schools.
Kutuny argued that most schools are not following the health protocols to stem the spread of the virus and called for the review of the schools reopening.
He accused Education CS George Magoha of being a bully and a dictator and demanded that he apologises to all those he had insulted.
"Perhaps it is time for the person who appointed him to review… It is unfair to give parents two weeks to prepare for reopening,” Kutuny said.
Kagwe defended the reopening, arguing that the danger of coronavirus among children is low because of their asymptomatic nature.
Two schools, Kolanya Boys in Busia and Bahati Girls in Nakuru are now isolation centres after tens of students tested Covid-19 positive early this month.
A random test on 100 Kolanya students established that 52 of them were positive 68 learners and five teachers at Bahati Girls also tested positive.
Yesterday, Kipsang hit out at parents for being undisciplined and participating in reckless activities like attending political gatherings and visiting entertainment joints.
This, he said, put children at risk.
“By going to bars and political rallies you bring the virus to the children and create a cycle where the children become carriers. They take the virus to school and infect other learners who take it home,” Kipsang said.
Kagwe said the ministries of Health and Education had constituted a team to develop health guidelines and safety protocols for the safe reopening of schools.
The protocols are specific - social distancing, classroom sizes, psychosocial support to learners, teachers and the support staff.
The ministries also identify health institutions nearest to schools for isolation purposes, Kagwe said.