Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu on Monday, April 29, noted that school opening dates had been postponed to May 6, due to the ongoing floods....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
However, schools will reopen soon after President William Ruto’s Cabinet approved a new date following a recommendation by the Ministry of Education.
Kenyans had expressed anger at Education CS Ezekiel Machogu for postponing school opening at the last minute.
The primary and secondary school were set to reopen on Monday 29th April 2023.However, the school reopening date has been changed following the heavy floods experienced in some of the counties.
The CS noted that the ministry had made the decision after receiving reports that most schools in the country had been adversely affected by the heavy downpour.
The Cabinet has approved the re-opening of schools on Monday, May 6, despite the raging floods, which have destroyed schools, roads and other infrastructure.
Many said the decision had inconvenienced many children already on the way to school.
A section of church and political leaders had appealed to the government to suspend reopening of schools from Monday due to the ongoing floods in the country.
Machogu extended the opening dates just hours before schools officially reopened on April 29.
President William Ruto directed the Ministry of Education to work with the National Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to rehabilitate flood-damaged schools.
Others questioned why the government waited until 1 a.m. before making such an important decision.
So far, 150 schools across the country have been affected by floods, with some remaining submerged and with no rooftops hours before the opening date.
“In the face of the ongoing heavy rains, the Ministry of Education last week directed its field officers to submit data from all Basic Education Learning Institutions countrywide to assist the Government in assessing the readiness of the schools for the Second Term opening on Monday, April 29, 2024,” the statement from Machogu read in part.
Collapsed classrooms, submerged schools, destroyed rooftops—these are scenes ahead of planned school reopening following heavy downpour across the country.
Machogu pushed the opening dates just a few hours before school opened because of the ongoing rains and floods that have claimed over 70 lives..CONTINUE READING>>
