This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has suspended plans to reopen schools on September 1, 2020, due to a surge in COVID-19 cases. The new reopening date is set for January 2021.
Magoha made the announcement after consulting with the Ministry of Health and stakeholders. He emphasized the importance of social distancing, handwashing, and wearing masks in schools.
Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary-General Akello Misori, and KNUT Secretary-General Wilson Sossion expressed their support for Magoha's decision, citing the need to prioritize the safety of students and parents.
Magoha had earlier stipulated several directives to curb the spread of the virus in schools, including testing teachers for COVID-19, limiting the number of students per class, and providing masks and thermo guns for temperature checks.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had directed Magoha to notify the public on the resumption of the 2020 Academic Calendar for Basic Education and Tertiary Institutions on July 6, 2020.
