During the KEMSA Covid-19 Billions probe at parliament, Health Cs Mutahi Kagwe said the health ministry was working in collaboration with the ministry of education to ensure that schools are reopened as soon as possible.
He noted that many countries that rushed to reopen learning institutions eventually ended up closing them again. He said the first priority is to keep learners alive then schools will come later. He quoted Magoha’s statement that “a dead child cannot go to school’ adding that we need to put our priorities together and that life is the most vital priority.
Mutahi Kagwe noted that most parents if asked will still say the same thing. The Health Cabinet Secretary said it will be irresponsible to send learners to school without putting in safety preparation measures adding that they cannot do that.
Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha said last week that schools will only resume upon the dropping of the Covid-19 curve and the achievement of the coronavirus health precaution by the learning institutions.
He, however, noted that in the next two to three weeks the Ministry of Education will make a good consideration on whether to resume basic education or to continue with the shutdown until the next year 2021. All this will be determined by the observation made within the 2 or 3 weeks duration.
Magohas's statement was however faced with opposition from the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers yesterday who said that plans to reopen schools before 2021 January, will interfere with the basic education terms and calendar.
CS Magoha has been under pressure from both sides of opinions. Those who want him to reopen learning institutions say that the child's future is at risk with the many cases of children exploitation, bad influence among other claims.
Those who oppose earlier reopening say that proper measures have to be put in place before learners are allowed back to classes. Most school administrators have been complaining that there are not enough resources in their institutions to that will enable them to meet all these requirements adding that money released by the Government was not enough.
