This archive report was first published on 23 May 2020.
On May 23, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the allocation of Sh6.5 billion to the Ministry of Education, hinting at the imminent reopening of schools.
Speaking during the Seventh Presidential address on the coronavirus pandemic, President Kenyatta acknowledged the anxiety weighing on the minds of parents and their children regarding the reopening of schools.
"We will in the very near future, be communicating, what plans and programmes we have for the education sector. In that regard, we have allocated an additional budget of Sh6.5 billion to the Ministry of Education," said President Kenyatta.
The allocated funds will support the recruitment of 10,000 teachers and 1,000 ICT interns to facilitate digital learning, as well as the improvement of school infrastructure, including the acquisition of 250,000 locally fabricated desks.
However, the debate on when schools should reopen remains contentious, with various stakeholders presenting differing opinions. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has proposed a partial reopening of schools by June 15 for national examination candidates, while the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) wants schools to reopen once the disease has been contained.
