This archive report was first published on 7 July 2020.
Kenya has become the latest country to declare its school year lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The East African nation had initially planned to reopen schools in September for students in their final years of primary and secondary school, but the mounting infection rate led to the shelving of this plan.
Education Minister George Magoha announced on Tuesday that the school year would be considered lost due to COVID-19 restrictions, and that primary and secondary pupils would return to class in January 2021. The decision was made after the government assessed the current situation and consulted with stakeholders.
The school year in Kenya typically runs from January to November, with end-of-term exams taking place in November. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic showing no signs of slowing down, the government has decided to cancel all primary and secondary school examinations.
Kenya closed schools on March 15, when it had only three confirmed cases of COVID-19. Since then, the country has seen a significant surge in cases, with over 8,000 reported infections and 164 deaths. The government has implemented various measures to combat the spread of the virus, including a nighttime curfew and restrictions on internal travel.
President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a 'phased reopening' of the country on Monday, with international flights resuming on August 1 and the lifting of internal travel restrictions. However, the 9pm to 4am curfew will remain in place.
Magoha stated that the decision to reopen schools in January 2021 was based on the assumption that the infection curve would have flattened by December 2020. The government has encouraged schools to consider phased reopening and continue holding virtual classes and graduation ceremonies.
