School management and parents have been urged to work together to ensure the safety of learners ahead of the school reopening on Monday, May 13, Education Principal Secretary for Basic Education Dr Belio Kipsang has said.
This is in light of the heightened risk of the waterborne diseases during flooding which has hit majority of schools across the country.
“Collaboration with local authorities, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders is essential for effective disaster preparedness and response. Schools should engage with parents, guardians, and learners to keep them updated on any emerging issues,” reads a circular from Dr Belio to all regional, county and sub- county directors of education.
The head of institutions are asked to hold staff meetings to prepare for the arrival of learners, discuss safety protocols and plan to provide support for affected learners and report any findings to the Sub-County Director of Education (SCDE) for further guidance and support if required.
Consequently, the school heads are asked to remove barriers like uniform and school fees, especially those affected by the floods.
As well as developing lesson recovery plans to make up for the lost time due to the delays caused by flooding, ensuring that the curriculum is effectively covered within the academic year.
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For the case of absenteeism, the heads of the schools are asked to deploy monitoring systems to track student and staff absence and compare against usual absenteeism patterns at the schools and alert the local administration authorities and SCDE about large increases in the rate of student and staff absenteeism.
Dr Belio said the guidelines are aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of learners and staff while facilitating a smooth opening of schools for second term after the disruptions caused by the heavy rains and flooding.
He asked the regional, county, and sub- county education directors to ensure all the directives reach all the basic education institutions within their area of jurisdiction.
“Friday next week, May 17, 2024 has been identified as the tree planting day for all schools in Kenya. Ensure that all learners and staff are engaged in the exercise,” the PS further directed the school heads.
By Vostine Ratemo
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