President William Ruto on Tuesday May 8, 2024 announced that all primary, secondary and junior secondary schools will reopen for second term on Monday 13, 2024.
The President made the announcement during a meeting with leaders from Laikipia and Kajiado counties at State House, Nairobi.
Speaking during the meeting, President Ruto stated that schools will reopen next week, after receiving a report from the Kenya meteorological department, which indicated that the intensity of the rains has reduced in different parts of the country.
This comes a few days after President Ruto on May 3, 2024 ordered the Ministry of Education to postpone reopening of schools until further notice.
“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 President Ruto.
He further directed reassignment of Constituency Development Funds (CDF) to rebuilding of damaged schools and property ahead of fresh reopening dates.
“Members of Parliament are requested to reorganize the CDF allocations to prioritise reconstruction of school infrastructure that has been damaged as a result of the floods ravaging the country.”
Meanwhile, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu had on April 29, 2024 postponed the reopening of all primary and secondary schools in the country by one week due to ongoing heavy rains.
The schools, which were supposed to open on April 29, were set to reopen on Monday, May 6 after his Ministry did an assessment of the heavy rains situation in the country.
“The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools is so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety of all affected school communities,” Machogu noted in a statement.
As a result, parents caused an uproar in the country by blaming Machogu for announcing the postponement of schools reopening on the day when most students were already traveling to school.
According to the parents, the Education CS was supposed to make the announcement at least two days earlier.
