This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
On July 7, 2020, the Ministry of Education issued guidelines for the reopening of learning institutions in Kenya following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha announced that all primary and secondary schools will reopen in January 2021, after considering the trend of COVID-19 infections in the country.
The cohort of students in Class 8 and Form 4 in 2020 will sit for their national examinations in 2021, with the exact dates to be disclosed by the government.
However, students in Grades 1-4, 5-7, and Form 1-3 in 2020 will remain in their current classes in 2021, meaning there will be no Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) in 2021.
CS Magoha explained that it would be practically impossible for students to cover the syllabus in 2021, given the circumstances.
"Therefore, there shall be no KCPE and KCSE examinations in 2021," said Magoha.
He emphasized that all decisions made by the Ministry of Education are not cast in stone and may change depending on dynamic reports from the Ministry of Health, prevailing circumstances, and increased knowledge of COVID-19.
CS Magoha stated that schools will only be reopened when the number of COVID-19 cases reduces consistently for at least 14 days.
He also announced that the government will facilitate virtual learning for learners at home, and that universities and colleges will be allowed to reopen on a case-by-case basis, depending on compliance with health guidelines.
TVET institutions and teacher training colleges will be allowed to reopen from September, subject to COVID-19 adherence measures.
