School reopening: Gov’t to extend second term over time lost due to floods

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that the government will extend the second term to make up for time lost after a two-week reopening postponement due to floods.

Schools were to reopen for the second term on April 29 but the government put it off in the wake of heavy rainfall and devastating floods which have so far killed over 257 people.

President William Ruto this week announced that learners will return to school on Monday, May 13, based on weather forecasts indicating reduced rainfall from this weekend.

On Thursday, CS Machogu said the second term will be extended by a yet-to-be-determined period to enable schools to cover the syllabus ahead of this year's national examinations in November.

“Particularly for Form Four candidates, we will see how we can recover time lost by extending [the second term by] a few days. They were expected to close for three weeks in August and we might minimise the number of days schools will be closed,” the minister said.

He however noted that the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KSCE) and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) examinations will not be postponed.

“The examination calendar remains the same; KCSE and KPSEA will be taken in the normal time from November,” said Prof Machogu.

He allayed fears of learners' safety during the school reopening, saying the government had assessed the situation and established that it is “manageable”.

“What we are getting from the experts is that we won’t have as much rain as we have had before. If anything, the situation is only improving all over the country,” Machogu said.

According to the minister, a section of schools in seven counties among them Tana River, Homa Bay and Kisumu may not re-open on Monday. He said his ministry will explore other learning options such as relocation of learners to safer centres.

President William Ruto on Monday announced a Ksh.1 billion allocation for reconstruction of schools damaged by floods.

His school reopening announcement on Wednesday followed a forecast by the Meteorological Department on Monday that rainfall intensity across the country will likely reduce later this week.