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Schools will this week break for the August holiday. The holiday will run for three weeks, with learners resuming classes in the last week of August for the third and final term of the year.

The learners will be in school for nine weeks, with schools closing for the long December holidays after Mashujaa Day to allow candidates to sit for the Kenya Primary School Assessment (KPSEA), the Kenya Inter-Mediate Level Education Assessment (KILEA) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination starting late October.

Yesterday, hundreds of learners could be spotted in various bus termini across the country trying to catch transport with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) calling on Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) to exercise caution on the roads.

The agency’s Head of Safety Strategies Samuel Musumba, in a statement to the media, advised PSVs and school transport operators ferrying students to various destinations to be more cautious on the roads.

“PSV and school transport operators are advised to exercise caution as schools close for the August holiday,” he said.

 Musumba stated that the authority, in collaboration with various government agencies including the National Police Service (NPS), will enhance road surveillance to ensure children’s safety as they travel home.

“Police will heighten surveillance to ensure safety during this season,” he said

“Learning institutions’ school transport vehicles will undergo road safety compliance checks in various parts of the country,” tweeted NTSA on their twitter handle.

Musumba further indicated that the PSV drivers should be mindful of the rains which may hinder transport in various parts of the country as well as possibly increase traffic.

NTSA urged all motorists to be cautious and mindful of other road users as children close for their holidays.

“We urge all motorists to be cautious and be mindful of other road users as children close the schools,”

The road safety manager emphasised that the school administrators should inspect and ensure that the vehicles are in good condition before transporting the learners.

“We would like the vehicles carrying these children to be in the best condition. We understood that some of these vehicles are yet to undergo inspection,” Musumba noted.

Functional seat belts

The government agency also warned school vehicles against overloading. In addition, it emphasised that all school vehicles must have functional seatbelts, valid vehicle insurance, road service license and inspection certificate. The driver must have the requisite DL class endorsement and a valid PSV Badge.

This week’s closure of schools brings to an end a busy term which has seen disruptions in the academic calendar, mainly as a result of the floods which destroyed infrastructure in thousands of schools countrywide and the Gen Z protests that have rocked the country in recent weeks.

Significant challenges

A survey conducted by the Elimu Bora Working Group (EBWG) in June to assess the impact of the 2024 floods on schools across Kenya revealed significant challenges in the education sector following the disaster.

The survey’s key findings painted a troubling picture of the post-flood educational landscape with more than 62 primary schools were submerged, putting 15,000 students at risk of missing school; 34 cases of cholera were reported along the Tana River; and over 20,000 toilets were damaged by the floods.

The surveyed schools experienced a nine percent decrease in overall student population, with female students and those with special needs disproportionately affected.

There was widespread infrastructure damage that left many schools with non-functional facilities.

Some buildings remained unsafe but were occupied due to lack of alternatives.