Ruto snubs Machogu, postpones reopening of schools

A teacher attends to pupils at Moi Avenue Primary School on January 8, 2024. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Learning in schools is facing fresh disruptions occasioned by the heavy rains pounding the country.

The rains that have so far claimed more than 210 lives, with several missing and many others displaced have also led to confusion on communication on the school calendar.

This is after President William Ruto rescinded a Cabinet decision made barely 24 hours, ago in a meeting he chaired.

Ruto chaired a Cabinet meeting on Thursday that endorsed the reopening of schools on May 6.

On Friday morning, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu released a detailed roadmap for reopening and instructed Regional Directors of Education to enforce it.

Machogu wanted parents, guardians and teachers to ensure learners are safe in schools even as rains continued to pound. He also wanted those sheltering in schools given alternative accommodation and plans made  by school heads to recover lost time.

But hours later, Ruto postponed reopening indefinitely. “The Ministry of Education is directed to postpone the dates of reopening of all schools in the country for the second term until further notice,” said Ruto.

Hours later, the CS sent another circular nullifying his earlier communication: “The directive by President Ruto is informed by the prevailing heavy rains and flooding affecting parts of the country. In this regard, you are hereby instructed to ensure the implementation of the foregoing directive in your area of jurisdiction.”

Early this week, a similar confusion was witnessed. Machogu released a statement on Sunday midnight announcing the postponement of reopening for a week, a few days after Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang had maintained that the second term would resume as planned.

Machogu’s directive caught many parents and teachers unaware. Some parents claimed that they had woken up early and sent their children to schools saying that the notice by Machogu came late in the day.

In some areas, school heads insisted that learners must report as earlier planned as the Ministry of Education had not issued an official communication about changes in the opening dates.

And on Monday, Dr Kipsang released a circular directing school managers not to send back home all children who had reported to school.

The postponement of learning reignites memories of 2020 when effects of Covid 19 disrupted the school calendar for nearly two years.

Notably, this year’s KCSE candidates were the same cohort whose KCPE examinations were affected by the Covid-19 disruptions.

The learners sat their national examinations a year later. And this year, with an indefinite hold on reopening, concerns are growing over their fate with calls for adequate planning.

And more time is likely to be lost after Ruto directed that the reopening of schools for the second term be put on hold until further notice.

Parents and education stakeholders lauded the President’s directive. National Parents Association chairman Silas Obuhatsa said:

“It’s a big relief to parents, teachers and learners especially in the affected areas. This will pave the way for the government to carry out proper impact assessment across all schools and plan well in advance on what kind of approach will be used come the new date of reopening.”

He added: “The opportunity will also give the affected families enough time to prepare in advance for school reopening. We wish to caution parents against the ongoing floods and advise that it’s the parent's responsibility to ensure their children are safe until the new reopening day is announced.”

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) lauded the president’s directive.

“This was a wise and appropriate decision. We had our National Executive Committee meeting on Thursday and feedback was that schools are not safe for learners,” said Collins Oyuu, Knut secretary general.

Akello Misori, Kuppet secretary general said: “The president is best placed to make such a decision because he has more information regarding the effects of the rain.”

He added: “This, however, gives the government more time to engage stakeholders on schools reopening as it happened during Covid 19 pandemic.”

Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (Kepsha) chairman Johnstone Nzioka hailed the president’s decision.

“The president must be informed by intelligence on the ground. We appreciate that was the right decision he made,” he said.

Nzioka said although pupils will lose a lot academically, they will regain lost time rather than expose them to danger. “We shall make a recovery plan when we resume,” he said.

He urged the government to look into ways of assisting schools affected by floods to reconstruct.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) chairman Willy Kuria urged the government to facilitate schools holding students in schools.

The Kenya Meteorological Department early this week warned of more rainfall signalling more destruction and possible loss of lives.