This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
On August 25, 2020, a parent in Kenya took the Education Cabinet Secretary, Prof. George Magoha, to court over the prolonged closure of schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The parent, Joseph Aura, is seeking a court order to compel the government to issue directions on when schools will re-open, within three days.
Aura's lawyer, Harrison Kinyanjui, argued that the prolonged open-ended closure of schools from March to date without any consultations with parents and guardians is in violation of the Basic Education Act.
Prof. Magoha had earlier stated that schools in Kenya were likely to re-open earlier than anticipated due to the low number of cases reported on a daily basis since last week.
However, Aura is also seeking compensation for school-going children who have suffered psychologically due to the closure.
