Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has hinted that schools may not reopen in September as planned if Covid-19 cases continue rising.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on June 6 directed the ministries of Education and Health to work on modalities for gradual reopening beginning of September.
However, the cases of the disease keep rising and Thursday 213 cases — the highest so far— were confirmed even as Kenya gradually returns to business.
“Being a physician, I can say that without fear of contradiction, that at this stage our numbers are going up and that we are most likely to have a peak around September–October and if we do so then all of us will decide together whether it is safe enough to open schools for our children,” he told the Senate ad hoc committee on Covid-19.
His remarks come amid an Infotrak survey showing that seven in 10 Kenyans do not support the plan to reopen schools, fearing a spike in infection rates due to lack of proper control measures.
According to the perceptions survey, Kenyans are concerned about how schools will ensure social distancing, the wearing of masks all day, and checking of temperatures.
Prof Magoha said that in two weeks, the country will be told whether the September reopening of schools is feasible and if national exams can be done in April next year.
He noted that it would not be feasible to administer this year’s primary and secondary school exams beyond April 2021, especially after the timetable was disrupted by the closure of schools in March due to the pandemic.
“In terms of the examination timetable, for now we are hoping after we have consulted thoroughly, that perhaps the latest we can do exams and still escape is April, beyond April, Mr Chairman, we must be prepared for what I don’t want to say but you can imagine,” he said.
Senators led by committee chairman and Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja advised the ministry to consider writing off the academic year.
