- The Ministry of Education directed learners to break for half term on August 2 and were to resume on August 11.
- On August 13, Education CS George Magoha however directed schools to resume on August 18 and not August 15, as earlier communicated.
Image: MARTIN OMBIMA
Learners have lost two weeks, or are likely to lose even more, due to the ongoing general election.
The Ministry of Education directed learners to break for half term on August 2 and to resume on August 11.
This was dependent on whether the election would be complete or not.
IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati announced the results yesterday.
“Schools and parents are advised to ensure that learners from all basic education institutions proceed on their final half-term effective Tuesday, August 2, and resume Thursday, August 11,” read a circular.
This was even as the ministry compressed the school calendar to ensure a return to normalcy, after the pandemic disruption.
On August 13, Education CS George Magoha, however, directed schools to resume on August 18 and not August 15, as earlier communicated.
"I hereby convey the government's decision on suspension of the re-opening of schools with effect from Monday 15 to Thursday 18," he said.
The Kenya National Examinations Council is also expected to open the portal today to allow students to select junior secondary schools.
The portal will be open from August 15 to August 30.
The ministry has already registered both public and private schools to host junior secondary schools in January.
Magoha, while commissioning the new Mitihani House, said registered institutions will not need to be registered again.
“Learners shall be offered placement in all existing registered public and private schools,” Magoha said.
The learners will be placed based on various aspects and not just the summative assessment.
Grades 4, 5 and 6 learners sit school-based assessments, which account for 40 per cent of the summative assessment.
“Selection of admission will be premised on principles of merit, affirmative action, choice of schools and institutions’ declared capacity,” Magoha said.
The portal will also allow learners to select from a list of registered private schools.
Magoha, however, advised parents to select private schools that they can afford.
“Parents shall meet the cost of learning in private schools as is the usual practice,” he said.
The CS said the 100 per cent transition policy will also be implemented in Junior Secondary Schools.
Upon resumption, learners will study for almost one month and break for the third term on September 17, a one-week holiday to September 25.
The learners are then expected to study from September 26 to November 5 and then break for the end of the year.
Grade 6 learners will sit Kenya Primary School Education Assessment from November 28, for four days.
At the same time, Class 8 learners will also be given the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam.
Education officials who spoke to the Star said most schools had ongoing midterm exams and assessments.
The directive to close schools saw some schools retain kids to finish the exams, while others had to suspend administering the tests.
A school in Kiambu that had been identified as a tallying centre released learners on Monday.
However, teachers had to ensure they complete exams before being released.
“The students were given six exams on Saturday and the remaining papers were done on Sunday,” a parent from the school said.
A spot check by the Star revealed that several primary and secondary schools had learners in school.
Several school buses were also seen picking up learners on Wednesday to take them to school.
One of the learners told the Star that they were finishing exams, which they had started before the directive.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)