Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has announced the reopening of schools for Grade 4, Class 8 and Form Four learners on Monday, 12th. October 2020. The Government thanked parents, guardians and caregivers for their patience and support they provided to learners' welfare during the COVID-19 period.
Further, Magoha has announced that the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations to start on March 22, 2021, and end on March 24, 2021. Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams to begin on March 25th, 2021 and end on April 16, 2021.
All schools will be required to strict adherence to the following COVID-19 protocols and guidelines;
- 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. Where there Is no running water, schools will use sanitizers;
- Although physical distancing will remain a challenge. It should not be used as a bottleneck to keep any child away from school;
- All schools that had been used as quarantine centres have been fumigated under the supervision of the Ministry of Health In readiness for re-opening;
- All schools that had been designated as quarantine centres but not used, need not be fumigated prior to their re-opening;
- All schools have been linked to the nearest public health facility prior to being re-opened;
- All teachers are encouraged to continuously provide psychosocial and spiritual support to learners and school support staff during the duration of the current Covid-19 pandemic; and
- Boards of Management (BOM), principals or Head-Teachers shall ensure full compliance with the guidelines and protocols Issued by the Ministry of Health.
The parents, guardians, caregivers of learners in Grade 4 (CBC Class), Claas 8 and Form 4 are now encouraged to prepare their children for the resumption of learning on 12th October 2020. The Government has said it has already met the full costs of the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations for ALL candidates.
The Ministry of Education, In collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is expected to continuously monitor adherence to Guidelines on Health and Safety Protocols for Reopening of Basic Education Institutions amid COVID-19 pandemic in order to determine when to re-open for all other learners in primary and secondary schools. The Ministry of Education will Immediately Issue a comprehensive circular on re-opening of all public and private schools.
Pursuant to the Presidential Directive issued during the Twelfth (12th) Presidential Address to the Nation on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Monday, 2nd of September, 2020, and following broad-based education stakeholders consultations; the Ministry of Education notifies the public that the progressive re-opening of schools will commence with Grade 4 (Competency-Based Curriculum Class), Class 8 and form 4 on Monday, 12th October 2020.
The specifics of the Revised 2020 School Calendar for Examination Candidates and Grade 4 Learners are as follows;
- Term 2: Grade 4, Class 8 & Form 4 to reopen on 12th of October 2020 and close schools for a holiday on 23rd of December 2020. Learning will take a duration of 11 Weeks
- Holiday for Grade 4, Class 8 and Form 4 will kick off in24th of December 2020 and end on 1st of January 2021.