- Astiba Kebong’o highlights why schools must strengthen preparedness before the October–December El Niño rains.
- She says learner safety and uninterrupted national examinations require practical planning beyond national-level preparations.
- The writer urges schools, parents and communities to anticipate risks before heavy rains cause disruption.
When dark clouds gather over the country, the first concern for many schools is no longer simply whether the rain will fall. It is whether learners will reach school safely, whether classrooms and dormitories will remain secure, whether roads will remain passable and, importantly this year, whether national examinations will proceed without unnecessary disruption.
This is why El Niño preparedness deserves more than a passing mention.
Kenya is approaching the October–December rainy season at a particularly sensitive moment in the education calendar. Thousands of learners are preparing for national assessments and examinations, while schools are equally occupied with completing syllabuses, conducting revision and ensuring that candidates are psychologically and academically ready.
The encouraging news is that preparations have begun early.
On September 16, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba convened a multi-agency meeting involving Ministry of Education field officers, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), the Kenya Meteorological Service Authority and the National Disaster Management Unit to discuss preparedness for the anticipated rains and their possible impact on education and national examinations.
This kind of coordination is important. Severe weather does not respect institutional boundaries. A flooded road may become an education problem; a damaged school building may become a disaster-management issue; and disruption of transport may affect the administration of national examinations.
The Government’s decision to prepare in advance is therefore welcome.
The 2026 examination calendar places national assessments and examinations within the October–November period, making continuity of learning and examination administration particularly important. KNEC has also been involved in contingency planning, including measures intended to minimise disruption in areas vulnerable to heavy rains.
The lesson is simple: preparedness is better than panic.
Preparedness must reach individual schools
For schools, however, national preparedness must be translated into practical action at the local level.
A school does not need to wait for a flooded compound before clearing its drainage channels. It does not need to wait for a leaking roof before identifying vulnerable classrooms. It does not need to wait for a bridge to be swept away before considering alternative arrangements for learners and staff.
School heads and boards should therefore take a fresh look at their institutions before the rains intensify.
Are drainage systems working? Are roofs secure? Are electrical installations protected from water? Are dormitories, laboratories and classrooms safe? Are emergency contacts readily available? What happens if heavy rainfall makes the usual route to school impassable? How will the school communicate with parents if an emergency occurs?
These may sound like ordinary administrative questions, but during a crisis they can determine whether a school remains functional or struggles to cope.
The responsibility also extends beyond school administration.
Parents need to remain attentive to official communication from schools and relevant authorities. Learners who travel long distances to school may require additional attention during periods of heavy rainfall. Communities living around schools can also play an important role by reporting hazards and supporting emergency interventions where necessary.
Teachers, meanwhile, have the difficult task of keeping learners focused.
Candidates preparing for national examinations do not need unnecessary fear added to the pressure they already face. They need reassurance, accurate information and a stable learning environment. Teachers should continue with revision and examination preparation while ensuring that learners understand appropriate safety measures.
This is particularly important because weather disruptions can easily affect concentration. A learner worried about flooded roads, damaged facilities or uncertainty about whether examinations will proceed may find it difficult to remain academically focused.
Weather information should guide action
The Kenya Meteorological Service Authority’s seasonal forecasts therefore have an important role to play. Weather information should not merely tell citizens that rains are coming; it should help institutions make informed decisions before conditions deteriorate.
There is also a valuable lesson here for school leadership.
Modern education management is no longer confined to timetables, examinations and academic results. School leaders must increasingly think about disaster preparedness, climate-related risks, learner safety, infrastructure and continuity of learning.
The anticipated rains also provide an opportunity for schools to strengthen emergency preparedness beyond the current season. A simple school disaster-response plan, regularly updated emergency contacts and clearly defined responsibilities can make a significant difference when an unexpected situation occurs.
At the national level, the involvement of different agencies is equally significant. Education officials cannot manage weather-related emergencies alone. KNEC, meteorological authorities, county governments, disaster-management agencies, school administrators, parents and communities all have a role to play.
What matters now is ensuring that these plans reach the last school, the last teacher and the last learner.
Kenya has made considerable investment in its education system. Learners have spent months preparing for their assessments and examinations. Teachers have sacrificed time and energy to complete syllabuses and support candidates. Parents have invested financially and emotionally in their children’s education.
That investment deserves protection.
Preparedness can protect learning
The expected rains should therefore not be viewed only through the lens of disruption. They can also test how well our education system has learnt to anticipate challenges and protect learning.
There is a difference between being surprised by a disaster and being challenged by one for which preparations have already been made.
The Government and Ministry of Education have taken important steps towards the latter. The task now is to ensure that preparedness does not remain at the national level. It must be visible in schools, homes and communities.
We cannot control the rain. We cannot determine where every flood will occur or how severe every storm will be.
But we can clear the drainage. We can strengthen vulnerable structures. We can improve communication. We can identify alternative routes. We can protect examination materials. We can prepare teachers and learners. Above all, we can refuse to allow a foreseeable challenge to become an avoidable crisis.
As the country looks towards the October–December rains, the message to the education sector should therefore be clear: prepare early, remain calm and keep learning on track.
When the rains finally come, preparedness will be measured not by the number of plans written, but by how effectively those plans protect learners and allow education to continue.
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Preparedness is not fear of the storm. It is confidence built before the storm arrives.
By Astiba Kebong’o
Email: jackiekebongo@gmail.com
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