Magoha meets team on school calendar

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha will this morning lead a stakeholders’ meeting, which seeks to work out the 2021 academic calendar.

Learning was disrupted in March, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country. 

Prof Magoha has previously stated that learners will continue from where they left.

Currently, Grade Four, Standard Eight and Form Four  learners are in session, having resumed for second term. The government has also insisted the children are safer in schools.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of a presidential directive that the ministry announces the 2021 academic calendar at by end of this month.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has acknowledged the frustration of most parents, having children at home for nearly an entire year, but explained that the government prioritises the health and safety of learners.

“The Ministry of Education will, within 14 days from the date hereof, announce the 2021 academic calendar, with all other classes expected to resume learning in January 2021,” Uhuru said, last week.

He said the gradual and phased reopening of schools that began with examination classes, is being carefully monitored at all levels, to ensure learners are safe, as they prepare for their national examinations.

“Even as we prepare to reopen schools, no child will be left behind, even those that have regrettably transitioned into being young parents,” the President directed.

The government has already delivered desks to public primary and secondary schools to complement the existing ones, since the existing infrastructure is already strained.

Full resumption

Several cases of Covid-19 in schools have been reported since learning for the three classes resumed mid last month. 

However, the government has insisted that schools will not be closed.

Primary and secondary head teachers are gearing up for a tight 2021 school calendar, amid infrastructure strain expected with full resumption of learning in January.

Magoha said a new timetable for next year will be worked out. “Now that the government has pronounced itself on reopening the rest of the schools, I want to urge teachers, stakeholders and Boards of Management to continue to prepare for re-opening around January 3,2021. A new time table will be worked out,” Magoha stated.

He said that the school time table will also have to be reworked to ensure that learners do not lose another academic year due to the pandemic. 

“The government plans to meet education stakeholders soon, to map out how best to plan for the children who are still out of school,” he explained.

As far as examination classes are concerned, Magoha said teachers will continue to prepare the candidates for the exams.

The ministry last month said Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams will be taken in March next year. 

KCPE dates are scheduled  from March 22 to 24, while KCPE will be taken from March 25 to April 16.

Rushed reopening

“We will prepare a timetable which we will make public soon, but will not be different from the one we gave before,” Magoha said yesterday.

The government has been on the receiving end from some quarters, who claim that the decision to reopen  schools was rushed.

However, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang last week defended the move, saying it was informed by what was considered a flattening the curve of Covid-19 infections.