By Education News
Cabinet Secretary for Education Prof. George Magoha announced on Tuesday that this year’s national exam will be postponed to 2021 due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases that has perplexed education sector.
Prof. Magoha said that, Standard Eight and Form Four students who were to tackle their exams this year will wait until 2021.
“Stakeholders have shelved the initial proposal to reopen schools by September for Class Eight and Form Four candidates,” said Prof Magoha.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced that all basic learning institutions will be on by January next year, as that is when the virus curve is expected to have gone down.
“The Ministry of Education will issue a comprehensive circular on the reopening dates. On the other hand, Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) will release revised examination timetables,” said Prof Magoha.
Prof Magoha said all students will therefore repeat their classes come next year.
“To ensure that learners are kept busy, the Ministry of Education is set to expand online learning and explore creative and innovative approaches to promote equity,” added the CS.
The ministry also announced that technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions as well as colleges will re-open in September but only with strict adherence to the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health with a central aim of containing the spread of the coronavirus.
“For the universities, they will be allowed to re-open if they will meet the standards set by the Ministry of Health. Members of staff have been urged to agree on how they will do a phased reopening,” said CS Magoha.
Prof. Magoha added that the decisions and guidelines will apply to all learners, those in schools offering International curricula inclusive.
“All the decisions that we have made here with stakeholders regarding reopening of learning institutions may change since we will be relying on the reports from the Ministry of Health,” said Prof. Magoha.
Prof Magoha added that face-to-face learning in universities will take place on a case by case basis and in line with compliance with Covid-19 protocols.
“Universities should continue holding virtual learning and graduations for students who have successfully completed their programmes and met graduation requirements set by their respective senates,” he said.
“They should consider phased re-opening to achieve physical and social distancing, especially in halls of residence, lecture rooms and dining halls.”
CS Magoha explained that since the infection curve has been rising daily, parents have denounced the act of sending their children back to school.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Secretary-General Akelo Misori, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion and National Parents Association Chairman Nicholas Maiyo support the decision for learners to remain at home until the virus is contained.
Prof Magoha’s statement came a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta relaxed the cessation of movement from county to county.
The move is considered risky as the daily Covid-19 statistics for the last few days have been alarming. The highest single day count so far is 389 cases,, the figure recorded on July 4.
