Kenyan schools could reopen before January 2021 if the low number of COVID-19 cases are anything to go by, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has said.
Magoha while speaking in Migori County on Tuesday said that should the situation change, the Ministry of Education will communicate new school reopening dates.
In the past week, the number of new infections has drastically gone down.
This, Magoha said, will be a factor that will push his ministry to look afresh at the academic calendar but insisted that schools will only reopen if they are safe.
“You’re aware the virus is starting to look like it is going to stagnate…we’re saying should the situation change, we shall be ready and willing to look at the scenario once again in the interest of our children,” he stated.
He said that the ministry clamour to resume learning soonest possible but safety is something they are keen on.
“As far as the government is concerned, ours is to open the learning institutions like yesterday…the bottom-line is our children should be reasonably safe when they return. We’re doing everything possible including ensuring that water sources and sanitizers are available… we’re even in the process of providing masks where it’s possible,” said the Education CS.
Just last week, Magoha launched the community-based learning which is yet to be embraced.
This new model comes at no cost for parents but assumes the Nyumba Kumi initiative model.
