Schools re-open amid Covid-19 pandemic

By Mourice Seretta 

Schools re-opened today after nine months break due to Covid-19 outbreak in the country, 

Millions of both primary and secondary school learners across the country made their way back to school with anxiety and fear of the unknown due to the pandemic that almost brought the world to a standstill.

However, Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha made trips to various schools across the city to see how learners reported to class and how schools were prepared to receive them.

Magoha was first at Olympic Primary School in Kibera slums, which experienced an influx of pupils, causing him to order more desks for the school.

Magoha said he was impressed with the turnout of learners as schools reopened and that he was also impressed with the level of compliance to COVID-19 protocols across the country, as learners turned up with masks as required.

“As you have seen, apart from crowding, all students are wearing their masks and teachers are ready to teach so let us support them,” Magoha said when he toured Olympic Primary School in Nairobi’s Kibera.

The good Professor ordered that 140 extra desks be diverted to the school from a facility which is not experiencing congestion.

“This is the largest school in the country with 4,700 students. Our wish is to have all students report back to school and get admitted but only where there is space as we are also struggling with the issue of social distancing,” Magoha said.

Magoha said the government has done “everything” to ensure schools are ready to take in learners.

He urged the media to paint a positive picture of the reopening, saying it would be of no use to the country if the focus is on “little hitches here and there”.

The reopening of schools marks the beginning of the Second Term of the school calendar, which will end in mid-March.

Both Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), and Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations will be undertaken come March.

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