Heads of Private learning institutions have requested the government to re-open schools in October for KCPE and KCSE candidates. In the worst scenario, January 2021 has been set for school reopening 

The convention was ordered by Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. (KICD) which might see 1.7 basic education candidates report back to school if the report will be embraced.

The Kenya Private Schools Association (KEPSA) is demanding that both the KCPE and KCSE examinations be conducted by December this year. Supporters of earlier re-opening tell that the candidates do not need to complete the whole remaining section of the syllabus. They assert that an exam can be customised to cover up to Form three works.

Kenya Private Schools Association (KEPSA) chair lady, suggest that the state should set exams for the period the candidates had covered. She noted that international learning institutions were able to transition all their students and pupils without exams using other criteria asking "Why do we want to make examinations a matter of life and death?"

With most headteachers supporting October reopening, they oppose premature exams and affirm that exams at the earliest can be conducted at the end of February 2021. However, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) flaws both reopening before January and early exams as premature.

KNUT secretary-general, Wilson Sossion asserts that learning institutions are not ready for resumption, even to accommodate candidates alone adding that KNUT won't support the resumption before January 2021 reason being that school closure was meant to allow for preparations to reopen learning institutions which have not been achieved yet.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association chairman, Kahi Indimuli, noted that learning institutions can accommodate candidates comfortably without using many resources. He asserted that many principals we're in support of candidates going back to class in October but they strongly oppose sitting of national examinations before 2021.

"There is a lot of unlearning that has taken place over the lockdown period. A lot of children have not been engaging academically and this derails what they had gained… We need to be fair and allow enough time to all candidates to prepare," Mr Kahi Indimuli noted.

According to the principals, February is the earliest ideal month for the national examination if exams are to be held. However, their biggest challenge lies in the inadequacy of preparedness to acclimate successive reopening of other classes. Me Indimuli noted that most schools are not prepared especially on how to accommodate other learners.

Nine medical colleges we're recently cleared for the resumption of on-campus learning for final-year students.
Education CS has upheld school closures until normalcy resumes for physical classrooms noting that a living child at home is better than a succumbing or dead child at school.

A grade 3 learner from Kudho Primary School has committed suicide on his mammy’s birthday noting it as a precise birthday gift.

The boy relinquished a suicide statement saying, “On today’s special day, I want you to be the happiest ever." He started his letter reminding her mother of the stories she used to tell him. 

" Every day you used to say that happiness left your life the day I was born. You told me dad left because of me," the emotional letter read. 

" So today I want to change things. I want you to be very happy as if I never existed. You told me you would never look at me with love but I always loved and admired you like the best mom on earth," continued the boy. 

" I hope one day you will think of me. I hope in heaven you will finally hold me and kiss me." The boy concluded his letter noting that the best gift he could give her mother was to leave her life as she had always told him that she wished he he could have not been born." I love you, mom. Happy Birthday.” Concluded the letter. 

The letter alarmed Kenyans on social media and most opined that parents should constantly be cautious about what they tell their kids. Some condemned the persistent pandemic and its subsequent challenges. 

During this pandemic, there have been intensified circumstances of Gender-Based Violence, pessimism and suicides. Kenyans are notified to pursue counselling during these struggling moments.

Board Of Management Teachers Must Be Paid By Tomorrow – Babu Owino 

The Board of Management (BOM) teachers have not been paid yet even after President Kenyatta directing that they be paid. Since March this year, these teachers have been suffering without income. The treasury is said to have released money to the Ministry of Education some two weeks ago. 

The Ministry of Education claimed that the money had to undergo legal procedural steps before it was released to teachers. However, a lot of time has passed with BOM teachers wondering what kind of procedural steps was going on at the Ministry of Education. 

Chief Administrative Secretary Mr Zachary Kinuthia has promised teachers twice that money would be in their accounts after a certain duration of time but nothing positive has come out of his promises. 

The last time Mr Zackary assured teachers was on Wednesday when he promised that teachers would receive their money by Friday which came to pass with teachers staring at their empty thirsty bank accounts. 

Last Friday, the Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino together with Samburu Eastlegislature Honorable Naisula Lesuda had warned that should money not reach the BOM teachers by last Friday, Education Ministry would face the mother and father of all demonstrations in all counties, constituencies and wards this week. 

However, their threats seemed to have fallen into deaf ears as nothing happened with the Ministry of Education giving no explanation to teachers as to why the Ministry had failed to pay them on Friday despite the Assurance that they would do so. 

Today on Sunday, Honorable Babu Owino has thrown his last warning to the Education Ministry asking them to honour their pledge and give the teachers what's duly theirs in good time. In fact, Babu Owino posted that "BOM teachers must be paid by tomorrow." 

Babu Owino said that he will issue an official statement on Wednesday to give direction on how demonstrations will take place across the county by the Board of Management Teachers. He called for Proper mobilization by the BOM teachers calling the Police not to give petty excuses that they were not ready. 

He asked the police to have enough teargas to avoid any excuse that they were not ready because BOM teachers are ready. Babu now warns that if money does not reflect on teachers accounts by tomorrow then all roads will be blocked at midnight on the day of the demonstration and there will be no turning back.

The Teachers Service Commission on Saturday night disclosed the most saddening news of a disappearance of a primary school teacher in Nyakach, Kisumu county alongside one other individual whose identity could not be uncovered. 

The teachers' employer published on it official social accounts (Facebook and Twitter) that Mr Enock Odhiambo who is presently a primary school teacher at Kawili Primary in Nyakach, Kisumu County had gone missing calling the relevant authority to quicken the investigation on his whereabouts. 

"We trust the police will hasten the investigations into the disappearance of teacher Enock Odhiambo of Kawili Pry, Nyakach, Kisumu and bring relief to the family and colleagues". Beatrice Wababu the head of corporate affairs teachers posted on Twitter.

The TSC tweet captivated mixed responses from the teaching fraternity and educational stakeholders who conveyed their emotions regarding the missing teacher, praying for him, and similarly requesting the police to hasten the explorations surrounding his disappearance.

Teachers have been staying at home since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya that saw all learning institutions closed indefinitely through President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive. Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has said that schools will reopen in January. 

It is not the first case of a teacher disappearance. This year on June 15 this year, Madam Jane Waruguru a teacher in St Angela's High-school was reportedly missing for two weeks before her decomposed body was retrieved from a forest in Eastern Bypass, Nairobi. 

 Teachers, relatives and friends have been sending goodwill messages and prayers to the families with the hope that they will be found alive. 

Exactly 6 months after learning institutions were closed, no safety measures have been put in place ahead of school reopening in January 2021. This is according to interviews with headteachers.  Since the 1st Covid-19 case that led to the closure of schools on 15th of March 2020, there has been no sign of children returning to school this year.

The Education CS Professor George Magoha has upheld his decision of parents staying with their children until normalcy returns noting that it is not yet safe to return to school because a living child is better than a dead child.

However, only three months remaining to begin a new year, the Star interviews with several school heads analyzing the modern crisis, question the ability of schools re-opening in regards to the containment measures. 

The decision on when to re-open learning institutions has become one of the most popularly contested debates around loosening the coronavirus lockdown. While most contestants have been focusing on the loss of children's education, the bigger concern is the reopening impact of pre-mature preparations. 

Teachers Updates has noticed that up to now most schools are lacking a go-ahead on what they need to do since no enough set of money meant for ensuring safer reopening has been put in place. Headteachers foretell a hurry against the period approach in preparation for the resumption of learning in schools 

"Schools are still stuck where they were in mid- March and headteachers are in the dark on the way forward," a secondary school head who sought anonymity told the Star. The learning institutions were asked in May to submit their status on the number if school population, toilest, classes and dormitories to the Ministry of Education. 

The Education CS Magoha later in August said that the state had sent Ksh2. 1 billion for the construction of more classrooms in secondary schools and Ksh6.5 billion to improve infrastructure as well as employ more teachers. 
 
The above-mentioned money was channelled from Sh59.4 and Sh12.4 billion meant for free primary and secondary schools education consecutively. Half of these funds had already been sent to schools in 1st term. Speaking during the parliamentary committee in August, Magoha revealed that the term 2 money was channelled to the Covid-19 Education Emergency Fund. 

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESHA) chairman Kahi Indimuli protested the lack of proper plan and guidance on in reopening of schools. Mr Indimuli noted that no money had been sent to secondary institutions for the schools to pay bills and prepare for re-opening. 

Mr Indimuli noted that neither Board of Management teachers nor the non-teaching staff have been paid for the past 5 months. Most Education experts say that more school closure time would allow improving the institutions to the required standard. 

Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (KESHA) Chairman, Nicholas Gathemia also questioned uncertainty in the efforts safety reopening before measures noting that primary schools as well have not received the money.

He worried that most institutions have stalled salaries for the non-teaching staffs compromising their lives. Mr Gathemia noted that it was a total abuse of human rights and unfair to put someone to work for several months without pay. 

Education Ministry has refuted documents going round on social media asserting that there is a phased re-opening of schools for KCPE and KCSE candidates.

On the Ministry of Education social media accounts, the Ministry denounced the circulating article, which implied that candidates are re-opening schools in 25th October 2020 and settle for their national examination at the beginning of March 30, 2021.

Further, the recommendation had contended that other learners would resume learning in January next year with grades four, five and six attending lessons on Monday, Wednesday and Friday while grade seven would be attending classes from Monday to Friday. The fake report indicated that grade one to three and pre-school learners would be going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Ministry of Education has asked learners and parents to dismiss the said bogus announcement noting that the Ministry of Education is not considering any such idea.
The Ministry of Education has been marred with somewhat confusion, with the learning institutions re-opening dates revamping from time to time.

In the last school assessments tour by Education CS George Magoha, the Professor revealed elements of schools reopening, giving varying dates with each speech.
On September 9th, CS Magoha affirmed that the ministry's position on the reopening date remained to be on January 2021.

However, he said that the ministry may reconsider to reopen schools earlier depending on how the virus behaves. While inspecting Pwani University, Magoha blamed the media for spreading misleading information out of misinterpretations on the reopening dates making him look like a fool and one who flip flops.

An Education activist has revealed that Migori County older women are reportedly preying on schoolboys as schools remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking on Thursday, Migori Civic Organization Association Secretary-General Titus Orwa, said that the organization has been receiving several reports, one of the major ones being in Suna West Constituency and Nyamaharaga area. 

Orwa revealed that rich women who are single, widowed or even married have been reported of sexually molesting schoolboys with a promise of good life and kinds of stuff as they warm their beds. He, however, blamed parents for refusing to report the matter. 

According to Evans Rube, the Nyamaharaga assistant chief, two women of 39 years and 42 years old have been taken to court for cohabitating with under-aged Machicha Mixed Secondary School aged 17-year-old student and a class seven pupil respectively. 

Mr Marube also blamed parents for not allowing the union to proceed with cases leading to only two cases being forwarded to relevant authorities. Villagers have been reportedly threatening to lynch the couples in their houses according to the assistant chief. 

Marube said that 13 pregnancy cases have been reported in the past one month but in boys causes who have been lured marriage has not been easy because most boys cases are not reported. 

According to The 17-year-old boy's mother, his son disappeared from their homestead for several weeks. The family got worried and started to look for him via the local administrators and media only for the son to turn up with the 39-year-old woman. 

The son introduced the woman as his wife. According to her mother, the woman had been married before in Tanzania before she was chased by her husband back to Kenya. 

When the seventeen-year boy was asked to divorce the woman, the boy started demanding for inherited his piece of land to be sold in order to pay the dowry to officially marry the woman. 

The woman is said to be having 5 children. Her firstborn is is an age-mate to this boy. 

In another case of the class 7 boy of 14 years, it is allegedly reported that the boy escaped from home to marry a 42-year-old mother who was a mother of his classmate.

According to Marube, the two cases were reported to the police post at Piny Oyie and forwarded to Migori law courts. The women will be charged with defilement and other sexual offences. 

Baby Owino has announced a mega demonstration next week. During a press briefing while addressing the issues of BOM salary delay, Babu noted that Education is an equaliser and powerful tool that can be used to change the whole world. 

The Embakasi East Member of Parliament they were smelling a rat that there is something is cooking in the Ministry of Education. He gave an ultimatum to the education ministry that should the money not be paid by today, next week the parliamentarians will have to meet for another press to give directions on how to hold a mega demonstration across the whole country.

Honorable Owino called on the BOM teachers to come out with their relatives and children for a mega demonstration. He alerted the police to prepare with sufficient teargas because already the pockets of the BOM teachers are shy and there is nothing else to lose.

He promised to update teachers on how to coordinate the demonstrations across the country next week noting that they will not fear anything because the BOM teachers have been storming parliamentarians offices on daily basis demanding for something to eat adding that BOM teachers are suffering and the oppressors shall never be given the opportunity to oppress the BOM teachers.

Babu promised to buy some rubber shoes, helmets and asked police not to complain that teargas was not enough in their stores because together with BOM teachers, they are ready.

SALARIES FOR NON-TEACHING STAFF

He announced another wage of war to come which includes the payment of the support staff that also work within the schools which include the security officers drivers, swipers and all non-teaching staffs.

He said after BOM teachers have been paid they will demand that these workers also get paid by the Government. He said the demonstrations will be devolved in every county, constituency and ward.

"we will demand that roads be blocked. A hungry man is an angry man, we don't know what will result in this demonstration. So you better pay them before you know." Babu Concluded. 

"Failure to pay BOM Teachers ASAP will lead to a Peaceful Nationwide demonstration that is better imagined than experienced. I will personally lead the mother and father of all demonstrations and all roads will be blocked on a daily basis.” The MP said. 

”We will demand teargas if we can’t demand money. Pockets of BOM Teachers are shy and they must be made to smile. Comrade Babu Owino.Angel of Demonstrations." Babu Owino posted.

It is not the first time that the controversial politician asks magoha to consider BOM teachers. Last week, Babu and other politicians including Boni Khalwale urged the Ministry of Education to fasten the process and save the teachers.

"Board of Management Teachers haven’t been paid and are really suffering/languishing in abject poverty. Prof. George Magoha should treat this as very urgent and important." Said Babu on his official Facebook page.

Honourable Naisula said that teachers shortage stands at 100,000 and most of this gap is filled by BOM teachers who play a critical role in ensuring that each student receives a quality education.

She noted that in some of the schools in the remote areas and semi-arid areas, BOM teachers are more than the TSC employed teachers and that such schools should have shut their operations without BOM teachers hence children would have been denied the right to education.

Despite all this, Naisula noted that these teachers receive a little salary that can hardly manage their lives yet since school closure they haven't received any money.

Even when the president issued an order for the BOM to get paid these teachers Naisula regretted that they have continued to be ignored. 

Teachers have continued to be told that money will be deposited into their individual account or via their school account. She said it was unfortunate that to date, no tangible evidence can be given as to why the teachers have not been paid. 

CAS Zachary Kinuthia had earlier stated that only teachers registered by TSC who were enrolled to teach before school closure will be paid.

The Member of Parliament accused Mr Kinuthia of giving contradicting statements. She noted that the last statement Mr Kinuthia made was that Bom teachers would be paid by today adding that BOM teachers have to be paid with immediate effect.

The latest update on this money stated that a list of bom teachers had been verified and 43000 teachers were due to be paid and that funds had already been cleared for Disbursement.

The delay they said was due to the verification process that saw over 40000 names dropped from the list.
Education PS Belio Kipsang also said that teachers would be paid today on Friday. The Samburu East MP said that BOM teachers have to be paid today. 

She called on the Ministry of Education to act in good faith and ensure that the payment is done today. "The teachers have suffered enough, 5 months of the pandemic and need not suffer any longer especially after the money has been released by the treasury," she noted. 

Honourable Naisula said that the BOM issue was a matter that has been raised on the floor of the house and as parliamentarians, the responsible persons, in this case, have to take the representatives of the house seriously.

"They have taken 5 months to verify, to know who the teachers are, they have already done all that work. So all we need is the BOM teachers to be paid." She said. 

Naisula asked the Education Ministry to be sensitive with Kenyans especially during this time of coronavirus pandemic to ensure that people who need to be paid are paid because all families are struggling.

The interim directive seeking to stop the Ministry of Education from rolling out Community-Based-Learning has been extended. The case was presented by Mr Joseph Aura on August and its hearing and determination are pending before the court. 

The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Health ministry and TSC had planned to engage learners through Community-Based-Learning during this pandemic period in order to instil basic coronavirus knowledge and life skills education. 

However, Mr Aura through the court challenged the plan citing lack of consultation from the education stakeholders. He accused the Health and Education Ministries of a reckless exhibition of indifference to an extent that may cause pain and suffering to school-going children. 

Mr Joseph Aura argues that there is a rising rate of online pornography exposure and teenage pregnancies due to lack of care by parents during the daytime. However, CS Magoha and his Health counterpart opposed Aura's petition noting that reopening without planning could contradict the coronavirus pandemic precaution measures. 

The two cabinet secretaries told the court that the same matter has been handled by a court in a case filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK). The court resonated with the restriction of movement point considering the Covid-19 state in Kenya. 

But on his part, Mr Aura noted that in-person learning was ideal compared to virtual learning that exposes learners to dangerous content asking the court to compel the Ministry of Education to reopen learning institutions this September. 

The Cabinet Secretaries defended themselves saying that they have to balance between the right to education and the right to life noting that reopening of schools was not an event and needs planning to safeguard the lives of learners and the community. 

They added that Community-Based-Learning is meant to ensure that lessons continue even during this Covid-19 period. The use of zoom, webinars, Kenya Education Clour, and radios were rolled out already. They said that the Kenyan government was ensuring that the environment is safe before re-opening. 

The case will be mentioned on October 6.