It is a big sigh of relief for the over 1.2 million KCSE and KCPE candidates after President Uhuru Kenyatta reassured them that this year’s examinations will not be postponed due to the current Corona virus pandemic in the country. Speaking during a live interview on Wednesday morning, the President said the Ministry of Education is churning out a work plan to ensure the exams are not disrupted even as the pandemic continues to ravage the country.
“Exams are still on as planned, but we still have to know how we shall approach this and we shall elaborate more when that time comes. We are still analysing the best way to assist our students. We will release a strategy in which our students will start going back to schools and the measures we shall implement because they (candidates) are the ones we are most concerned about,” the Head of state said.
On Sunday, Education Cabinet Secretary prof. George Magoha said his Ministry has come up with various plans on how learning is to resume and was awaiting approval by the president.
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The President (who was speaking from State House, Nairobi during a live address on national Swahili radio stations: Radio Citizen, Radio Jambo, Radio Maisha, Milele FM and KBC’s Radio Taifa) said his government will soon release a schedule on how learners will return to schools especially those who are to sit the national exams. He was not categorical on when the schools are set to reopen and how.
Stake holders hold divergent views
The kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers, Kuppet, has been rooting for postponement of the national tests saying the education calendar should be redrafted to cater for lost time. Its sister union, Knut, is holding a different opinion that learning should resume under stringent health measures.
On their part, school heads want reopened for not only form fours and class eight pupils, but also for class seven pupils and form three students. The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) chair Indimuli Kahi has said it will be possible to have the fewer learners in school for now since social distancing would be feasible.
Education stake holders will be waiting, anxiously, for the Government’s work plan even as the clock ticks, fast, towards the May 2, 2020, date; which would have been the official reopening date for second term.
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