Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has declared the government’s intention to prolong the Term Two school period to compensate for the time lost due to a two-week delay in the commencement of learning activities caused by floods.
In a briefing session held on Thursday, the Education CS unveiled plans to extend the second term for an unspecified duration to enable schools to sufficiently cover the syllabus, especially for students preparing for the national examinations slated for November this year.
“In particular, for Form Four candidates, we are exploring avenues to recover the lost time by extending the second term by a few days. They were initially slated to go on a three-week break in August, and we may trim down the number of days schools are closed,” the minister remarked.
Originally scheduled to resume on April 29, schools postponed their reopening due to heavy rainfall and consequential floods, claiming the lives of over 257 individuals.
Mr. Machogu underscored that while certain aspects might undergo alterations, the timelines for the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) examinations will remain unchanged. He confirmed the adherence to the November schedule for these examinations.
“The examination timetable remains unaltered; KCSE and KPSEA will proceed as usual in November,” he affirmed.
Nevertheless, the CS disclosed that schools in seven counties, including Tana River, Homa Bay, and Kisumu, might defer their reopening on Monday due to the severity of the impact of the rains. The ministry will explore alternative learning arrangements, including relocating students to safer environments.
“We will imminently release the list of affected schools; nevertheless, approximately two percent of schools in Kisumu, Homa Bay, and Tana River counties may remain closed due to the adverse effects of the rains,” he noted.
President William Ruto announced a fund of Sh1 billion on Monday for the reconstruction of flood-affected schools.
Initially slated to commence on April 29, 2024, the reopening of schools was deferred to May 6, 2024, due to disruptions caused by heavy rains.
Subsequently, President Ruto directed the Ministry of Education to postpone the reopening of all schools nationwide following the flooding crisis last Friday.
“The devastating impact of the rains in some schools is so profound that it would be imprudent to endanger the lives of learners and staff until comprehensive measures are instituted to ensure the safety of all affected school communities,” Mr. Machogu reiterated.
