By Staff Reporter
About 3000 private schools are set to receive Sh. 7 billion loans from the government as a boost to infrastructural development towards 2021 reopening.
Speaking to the press, Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof George Magoha said that the government is aware of the problems that are experienced by private schools hence the need of giving them a concessional loan.
Schools that will benefit from the loan are expected to put extra classrooms to ensure social distancing and other protocols set by the Ministry of Health to avert the spread of coronavirus.
The loan will be charged at an interest rate of 2.5-3.5%. However, the proprietors are expected to channel some of the availed cash to ICT systems to ensure continuous learning as the government contemplates on the phased reopening of schools.
The government’s decision resulted from the request by private schools for the provision of credit facilities to keep them going during this time of financial impotence brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The closure of learning institutions in March swung teachers in private schools to the uncomfortable zones forcing many of them to engage in mundane jobs to make ends meet.
However, according to Prof Magoha, January reopening plans remain a riddle that is yet to be tackled based on the infections curve.
“With guidance from the Ministry of Health, we shall allow schools to open even sooner than the set dates,” Prof Magoha told the press.
