Magoha hints learners will not repeat classes after schools reopen

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha. NMG PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE

By LYNET IGADWAH
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Summary

• Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha has hinted learners will not repeat classes even as he steered clear on the exact school reopening dates.
• The CS told Parliament Wednesday the strategy in place will ensure that the academic year is recovered.
• This is in contrast to his July declaration that 2020 is considered a lost academic year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) George Magoha has hinted learners will not repeat classes even as he steered clear on the exact school reopening dates.

The CS told Parliament Wednesday the strategy in place will ensure that the academic year is recovered.

This is in contrast to his July declaration that 2020 is considered a lost academic year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I think it is time we reopen schools according to recommendations by the education task force...and the strategy we have now is that one will recover the whole year,” he told the National Assembly committee on Education.

He said that while achieving social distance will be a challenge in the schools, Kenya needs to be at par with neighbouring countries despite the pandemic.

He cited Tanzania and Burundi which never closed schools while Angola and Zambia recently reopened their learning institutions.

“Plans are in place to supply learners, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with face masks which we have received from the UNICEF and the KCB,” he said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday failed to give an exact date for resumption of in-person learning, saying focus should instead be on the safety and health of the learners.

During the address, the President directed Prof Magoha to finalise on how schools would reopen safely, saying this would inform the decision on the actual reopening date.

New Covid-19 cases in the country continue to drop, with Kenya surpassing the 14-day straight positivity rate of under five percent that indicate a flattened curve.