Schools reopening: Machogu directs parents, teachers to ensure safety of learners

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has affirmed that schools will reopen for the second term despite ongoing heavy rains.

Machogu urged all stakeholders to prioritize the safety and well-being of learners, teachers, and the school community, guided by weather forecast reports from the Meteorological Department.

In a circular dated May 3, 2024, addressed to Regional, County, and Sub-County Directors of Education, Machogu emphasized the importance of parents ensuring their children safely arrive at school on Monday.

This is despite the challenges posed by the weather conditions.

"The prevailing weather conditions pose accessibility challenges due to flash floods, swollen rivers, and landslides, thus affecting the transport system for learners to and from school," Machogu said.

However, the CS said some schools will remain closed due to severe damage to infrastructure caused by the ongoing rains.

"The ongoing rains have caused havoc and flooding in some institutions, thus damaging infrastructure, sanitation facilities, and teaching materials," he explained.

Machogu further directed school boards of Management (BoM), headteachers, and principals not to host learners and teachers in life-threatening environments.

He advised severely affected institutions to keep their schools closed temporarily until the situation improves.

 “Where it is impossible to continue learning in the most severely affected institutions, Boards of Management (BoM) are advised to temporarily keep the schools closed until the situation improves,” Machogu said.

The CS emphasized that the government would not allow learners to use dilapidated facilities that could endanger lives.

“This is particularly on the sanitation facilities that have been damaged due to flooding of which some are either submerged or have collapsed. This poses a health risk due to contamination of water sources, which may lead to an outbreak of waterborne diseases,” Machogu said.

Furthermore, Machogu ordered schools to submit reports to County Education Boards detailing damages incurred due to adverse conditions and outlining mitigation measures to ensure a conducive learning environment.

These reports are to be submitted by May 8, 2024.

Schools are also required to indicate the number of learners unable to attend school due to transportation issues, the impact of weather conditions on their families' livelihoods, and those internally displaced by the rains.

 The Regional Directors of Education have also been tasked with collecting data on all learners who will be out of school and ensuring safe school openings by Monday.

While urging affected schools to find alternative ways to recover lost time when learning resumes, Machogu encouraged neighboring schools to share resources and facilities to facilitate continued learning.

In the meantime, the management of these schools should come up with strategies to recover lost time when learning resumes,” Machogu said.

 Machogu directed displaced families residing in learning institutions to vacate by Sunday to allow students to resume their studies.

He said such schools may not be able to continue regular academic activities unless they are relocated.

He tasked local administrative units to find alternative accommodation for affected families before Monday, in coordination with Field Education Officers and National Government Administration Officers.

 “Filed Education officers are hereby asked to come up with mitigation measures including resource sharing among neighboring schools, use of a multi-grade and multi-shift model of providing education where applicable,” he said.