This archive report was first published on 15 June 2020.
As the government considers reopening schools in September, a recent survey has revealed that a significant majority of Kenyans are opposed to the idea, citing fears of a spike in Covid-19 infections among children.
According to a survey released by Infotrak over the weekend, 70% of respondents expressed concerns about reopening schools before the pandemic is contained.
Infotrak's Special Projects and Loyalty Research manager, Walter Nyabundi, noted that 21% of respondents believed the chances of children contracting the virus in school and spreading it were very high.
Another 15% expressed fear that social distancing, a key measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus, may not be possible in schools.
“Children are likely to remove their masks now and again while flaunting the social distancing rule, thus they require regular supervision from adults, but considering the ratio of teachers to pupils in most Kenyan schools, supervision could be very challenging,” the survey added.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had recently asked the Education and Health ministries to chart the path towards reopening institutions of learning, with the Education Ministry expected to start gradual reopening from September 1.
However, the Ministry of Health has projected that the rate of Covid-19 infection is likely to peak in August-September, raising concerns about the safety of children and teachers.
