Schools reopening: How to share your opinion

Kenyans have until May 22 to submit their recommendations to a taskforce on re-opening of schools following the coronavirus pandemic.

The taskforce chairperson Dr Sara Ruto has asked Kenyans to submit written memoranda to the Secretariat, which is based at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) by e-mail to [email protected] or through P.O. Box 30231-00100, Nairobi.

The 10-member team which was appointed by Education CS George Magoha on Tuesday, will also explore ways to restore normalcy in the basic education sector’s academic calendar.

The team will advise the Cabinet Secretary on ways of on-boarding students or pupils when the schools re-open as well as document all Covid-19 related matters, lessons learnt and recommendations for future preparedness.

It will also advise the Cabinet Secretary on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the demand for education by poor households and suggest mitigation measures as well as on health and safety measures to be put in place for the pupils or students, teachers and entire school community.

The team will also identify institutions that may have been adversely affected by Covid-19 and advise on mitigation and recovery measures.

It will submit regular reports to the Cabinet Secretary on the progress of implementation of Covid-19 related programmes and any other related duty that may be assigned by  Prof Magoha.

Other members of the team are; Chairman, Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Indimuli Kahi, Chairman, Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association Nicholas Gathemia, CEO, Kenya Private Schools Association Peter Ndoro and Chairman, Kenya Parents Association Nicholas Maiyo.

Also in the team are Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Augustine Muthigani, Kenya Association for Independent International Schools Jane Mwangi, National Council of Churches of Kenya's Nelson Makanda, Muslim Education Council's Sheikh Munawar Khan, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Secretary General Akelo Misori and Chairman, Kenya Special Schools Heads Association Peter Sitienei.

Prof Magoha has indicated that reopening of schools will depend on how the Covid-19 pandemic is managed.

“The pandemic must come under control first. Everything else will have to follow. All these questions will depend on how the government will control the pandemic," he said when he appeared before National Assembly’s Education Committee.

Schools were closed on March 15, after the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.