Headteachers have appealed to Education CS George Magoha to consider the increasing cases of Covid-19 before making a decision to recall other students to join Grade 4, Class 8, and Form 4 students in schools.
The school heads warned that schools are a ticking time bomb as they were finding it hard to ensure students adhere to measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The headteachers said the students currently in session are not following the health and safety precautions issued by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Chairman Kahi Indimuli stated that learners were no longer washing and sanitizing their hands. They are not also wearing masks or keeping the recommended physical distance.
The Education Ministry left the burden of mask provision to parents and schools were asked to search for sponsors to facilitate developments such as the provision of water and construction of new classes aside from being funded by the government.
“These learners think that after two weeks in schools without infections, they can go about living their normal lives.
“Teachers are facing a heavy task of ensuring Covid-19 measures are maintained. Without supervision or in the absence of teachers, students interact as normal,” Indimuli lamented.
Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) Chairman Nicholas Gathemia added that not all schools have facilitated Covid-19 measures as required and this poses a risk for teachers and learners.
As of Friday, October 31, 44 students had tested positive in several counties with 33 teachers also contracting the disease. Two schools were also closed.
Other education stakeholders, however, warn that having students stay at home will disrupt the education calendar. If students report in January, they said, teachers will be under pressure to complete term two and three syllabi by April 2021 if Magoha does not revise the calendar.
The CS has insisted that Grade 4, Class 8, and Form 4 students will sit for their exams in March 2021. He added that he has heard the cry of parents asking him to fully reopen schools.
However, he also acknowledged that it will be difficult to ensure students adhere to social distancing. The CS will meet other stakeholders on either Monday, November 2 or Tuesday, November 3 to decide on the dates for the mass reopening of schools.
“There is a lot of pressure from the public that we should open our schools but we are still consulting on the issue and the big question, nobody has answers to, because it’s like Covid-19 is here to stay,” Magoha stated on Friday, October 30.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe approved full school reopening plans with Health Acting Director-General Patrick Amoth adding that Coronavirus would stay for long and students and the economy will be affected by students staying at home.
