This archive report was first published on 1 July 2020.
On July 1, 2020, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha hinted at delays in reopening both secondary and primary schools, citing uncertainty due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Magoha made the remarks after a special meeting with sector players, including Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia and Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion.
According to Magoha, the reopening of schools could be pushed to 2021, depending on the extent of infections in the country.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Health's one-meter social distancing rule would be a key factor in determining when schools could reopen.
"It is likely to come in September and by the grace of God, perhaps, steeper down in January," Magoha stated.
Magoha also acknowledged the concerns of parents, who have been firm in their demand for stability and a flattened curve before schools reopen.
Magoha's comments come just days after he advised President Uhuru Kenyatta against reopening schools ahead of the head of state's planned national address as the cessation of movement deadline nears.
Magoha had earlier announced a raft of measures to guide the reopening of schools, including a maximum number of learners in a classroom and a 1.5-meter social distance.
