Basic education learning in Kenya has resumed under the schools phased reopening plan with grade 4, class 8, and form 4 students reporting to schools.
Education CAS Zack Kinuthia has said there is no going back on school reopening despite the rising cases of Covid-19.
Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has also today Monday 12th October, asked parents with children in other classes to start preparing them for reopening in one or two-weeks time.
While leading the inspection of school reopening at Nairobi Primary and Olympic Primary in the capital, the CS is advised parents to ready their other children for learning.
“The Ministry will observe the situation in one or two weeks, then we shall recall the other children,” said Prof Magoha.
He also advised parents not to be worried about their kids and stop negative thinking.
“Unless a child has a pre-existing condition, unnecessary school visits should be stopped,” he said.
He asked parents with children with pre-existing conditions to inform schools.
In the new normal for schools, all classrooms are required to accommodate half their normal population and all guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health followed to recoup lost times ahead of the national exams.
At Kamusinga Boys School, a classroom of 50 students will now host half the capacity in adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures.
Meanwhile, over 70 percent of students population in Mandera County have turned up for classes.
At Mandera Secondary School, Principal Noor Abdi lauded the move by the government to have learning resume after the 7 months break occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha Monday directed both private and public schools not to send home children for lack of school fees.
The CS at the same time urged principals and teachers to compile a list of learners with pre-existing conditions for example children with asthma, so that the necessary attention can be given to them.
Prof. Magoha also stated that all protocols issued by the Ministry of Health in fighting the coronavirus pandemic have to be adhered to.
Schools are also required to ensure pregnant learners continue with their studies interrupted.
The Cabinet Secretary for Education George Magoha last week warned schools that they will be required to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.
“All schools will be required to strictly adhere to Mandatory use of face masks, monitoring of the body temperature for all learners, staff and all other persons accessing the schools, handwashing and observance of high levels of hygiene,” read the statement.
Where there is no running water, schools will be required to use sanitizers.
Schools have also been cautioned against using physical distancing as a bottleneck to keep any child away from school.
The Ministry in line with the COVID-19 regulations also made it mandatory for all schools to be linked to the nearest public health facility prior to being reopened.
Teachers are at the same time being encouraged to continuously provide psychological and spiritual support to learners and school support staff during the duration of the current pandemic.
Magoha says the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Health will continuously monitor adherence to existing guidelines in order to determine when other learners will resume learning.