This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
On July 7, 2020, the Kenyan government announced a significant shift in its plans for schools reopening in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Education had initially set September 2020 as the reopening date for Class 8 and Form 4 learners, but this has now been pushed back to January 2021.
The decision was made in consultation with the Ministry of Health, which has emphasized the importance of social and physical distancing in ensuring the safety of learners. According to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha, the government has agreed that schools will only reopen when daily COVID-19 cases have reduced consistently for 14 days.
Magoha also announced that the 2020 KCPE and KCSE examinations have been cancelled, with new exams scheduled for later in 2021. Learners will remain in their current 2020 classes, and the school calendar for this year will be considered lost due to COVID-19.
Universities will only reopen when they meet specific requirements, including agreement from the senate and faculty on a phased reopening plan.
