Magoha says learning resumption dependent on today’s election process
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has said August 11 date set for learners to resume learning may change depending on the political environment.
Magoha, who spoke at Juja Farm in Kiambu after commissioning a new Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) classroom, said learners will be allowed back in school from the midterm break if the environment is safe after the general elections.
He called on parents not to worry about the safety of their children saying the government will be on the watch and may extend the reporting date if need be.
We had said that children go back to school on August 11, assuming everything else is constant. Since we love our children, if we feel that they stay at home for one or two more days, we will then pronounce ourselves at that time. Let the public not worry about the safety of our children, they are our children and we continue to serve them,” he said.
The CS was however optimistic that the country will remain peaceful after the polls given that the presidential candidates have promised to accept the results.
Covid disruptions
He said learners have suffered a lot due to the disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic and there was no need for more extensions due to an unsafe political environment.
He called on politicians to exercise caution as they vote for the sake of the children.
“We hope the political environment will be peaceful after the elections so that schools may reopen from the midterm break as projected. Our children have been disrupted for long by the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no need for further disruptions,” he said.
The schools closed for about eight months during the pandemic period, completely affecting the education calendar. The Ministry hopes to resume the normal school calendar from January next year.
“I plead with all politicians not to cause further disruptions by refusing election results. You must be prepared to win or lose. They must also be careful with whatever they say in public and accept the fact that there can only be one winner,” he said.
He reiterated that construction of classrooms will continue even with the new Government saying that the transition is coming in January and it will be a serious one.
“We are not doing this to be popular, we are doing this for our children,” Magoha said.
