Kenya has postponed the reopening of schools for the second term session by one week due to flooding that has killed over 70 citizens.
According to Reuters, the EGH Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr Ezekiel Machogu, on Monday said the resumption, which was supposed to commence today (Monday), has been delayed till May 6.
Machogu said, “In the face of the ongoing heavy rains, the Ministry of Education last week directed its field officers to submit data from all Basic Education Learning Institutions countrywide to assist the Government in assessing the readiness of the schools for the Second Term opening on Monday, April 29, 2024.
“Reports received at the Ministry of Education, corroborated with data from other relevant Government agencies showed that a number of schools in various regions of the country have been adversely affected by the rains. The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools are so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety of all affected school communities.
“Based on this assessment, the Ministry of Education has resolved to postpone the reopening of all primary and secondary schools by one week, to Monday, May 6, 2024.”
The ministry, however, assured that measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the rains would be put in place.
“In the meantime, the Ministry will work with relevant agencies and stakeholders to put in place measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the rains and provide regular updates on all developments as pertain to the education sector,” Machogu assured.
