KUPPET proposes partial reopening of schools by June 15th

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has proposed a partial re-opening of schools by June 15.

In its proposals before the National Education Emergency Response Committee, the union’s Deputy Secretary-General, Moses Nthurima, said the final year students at universities and colleges should also be allowed back to classrooms.

The union made the proposal as the government warned that the Coronavirus pandemic was worsening by the day in the country.

Nthurima emphasized that the re-opening of schools should be done subject to guidance by the Ministry of Health.

He said the ministry should assess how best the Covid-19 containment measures can be applied in schools for Form Four and Standard Eight students for at least one month and determine their efficacy.

He said the government has sufficient time to enact and publish guidelines for the partial re-opening of the learning institutions.

The government formed a 9 member Covid-19 Education Response Committee to advice on modalities of re-opening schools following anxiety from parents and learners across the country.

The committee which was unveiled by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha is chaired by Dr. Sarah Ruto, who is the chairperson Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development with other members being drawn from the expansive sector.

In a statement, Magoha said the committee is expected to advise him on 9 areas, including reviewing and reorganizing the school calendar as part of the post-Covid-19 recovery strategy.

The committee is expected to submit regular reports to the CS on the implementation progress of Covid-19 related programmes.

Kenya closed schools in mid-March after the confirmation of positive cases in the country.

The committee will also be required to, “identify institutions that may have been adversely affected by Covid-19 and advise on mitigation and recovery measures.”

The Committee’s Secretariat will be located at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.