Government postpones schools reopening to May 6

The government has postponed the scheduled school reopening to Monday, May 6, 2024.

The one-week extension of school holidays is a result of the heavy rains witnessed in the country, which has led to floods on major roads.

In a statement, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said they have received data that some schools have been adversely affected by the ongoing floods.

He said sending students and staff to the affected schools would be putting their lives at risk, hence the decision to postpone the reopening.

While announcing the postponement, Machogu said the ministry directed field officers to submit data from all Basic Education Learning Institutions countrywide, where adverse effects of the heavy rains were reported.

“The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools are 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,” he said.

Schools were scheduled to reopen on April 29 (Today).

On Sunday, several stakeholders, including Thika MP Alice Wambui Ng’ang’a, urged the government to consider extending school holidays for one week to prevent learners from being caught up in the havoc of heavy rains.

This came as the Meteorological department warned of heavier rains in the coming days with over 90 people reported dead so far and scores of others injured or missing.

Ng’ang’a argued that reopening schools at a time when the heavy rains continue to cause deaths and destruction of property could result in further harm.