The national government is committed to ensuring schools reopen successfully, with safety of learners and teachers prioritized, according to Education CS George Magoha. The CS on Monday announced the schools reopening dates, following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive that all schools reopen fully on January. Magoha said all schools will be fully reopened for in person learning on 4th January 2021, this will apply to PP1 and 2, Grades 1, 2 and 3, Classes 5,6 and 7, Forms 1, 2 and 3 who will also be starting their second term on that day. International schools will also be opened on 4th January 2021.
The second term will then end on March 19th 2021. He said that all learners except Class 8 and Form 4 candidates will proceed on a seven week holiday to allow the administration of KCPE and KCSE exams, and that Grade 4 and Grade 4 and incoming Form 1 students will stay at home as others complete their third term. Moreover, Grade 4 CBC learners will transition to Grade 5 in July 2021.
Speaking to the press after a stakeholders meeting, CS Magoha assured Kenyans that the government is determined to ensure a safe reopening and resumption of learning in schools, and that authorities are drawing important lessons from the partial reopening in October. “We are confident we will remain in the right trajectory to find the winning formula that will ensure our learning institutions are safe for our learners and teachers,” he stated. He pointed out that the most important constant in schools will be the need for masks, and that the government will ensure all learning institutions comply with the Covid-19 infection prevention directives.