Covid-19: CS George Magoha says no cause for alarm as he rules out closure of schools

Education CS George Magoha. [File, Standard]

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha has ruled out the closure of schools in the lake region following increased Covid-19 cases.

Prof Magoha, who was in Kisumu to verify and inspect homes of beneficiaries of the National Government Elimu Scholarship Fund, said there should be no cause for alarm.

Thirteen counties within the Lake Region Economic Bloc have faced an exponential rise in the number of Covid-19 infections, a situation which saw the government increase containment measures, including lengthening the curfew hours.

Many schools in the region have had to rework their daily schedules to allow learners to leave school early enough to comply with the curfew.

“Covid is here to stay... If there is a crisis in one particular school, that school will be dealt with in isolation. And this is what we have done in the past and it has worked,” the cabinet secretary said.

Magoha said President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to reopen schools was well informed and that the move has seen reduced risk in schools.

The CS said the government has disbursed capitation to all schools, including Covid response funds to help them scale up containment measures.

“This is a very tight year and we cannot afford to lose. All schools have money to ensure that Covid protocols are observed,” said Magoha.

He noted that this year’s Elimu Scholarship has benefited the most deserving cases, directing that all the beneficiaries be placed in boarding schools to give them safe learning environment to ensure transformative change in their lives.

Magoha also reiterated that the government was still rolling out CBC and that any contrary reports was aimed at misleading the public.