This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
The Kenya Ministry of Education has announced a one-week delay in the opening of schools for term three, effective immediately.
The new opening date is September 2, 2019, instead of the previously scheduled August 26, 2019. This change is aimed at allowing for proper documentation of school-going children during the national census, which is set to take place on August 24 and 25, 2019.
According to a circular issued by Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, the decision was made to minimize population movements and ensure a successful census. The circular read, 'For the forthcoming census to be successful, it is the desire of the National Bureau of Statistics that there be minimum movements of the population so that they may get as many people as possible in conventional households.'
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) had requested the Education ministry to adjust the school calendar to accommodate the census, which is scheduled to run for one week.
