Magoha Gives Hope To Parents Amidst Looming Repeat Election

He added that the government will give a way forward on the matter, with the safety of learners of key concern.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Aug 17, 2022 - 11:21 Updated: Aug 17, 2022 - 11:21
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Magoha Gives Hope To Parents Amidst Looming Repeat Election
Education CS George Magoha. /DAILY NATION

Education Cabinet Secretary, George Omore Magoha has announced that the government will not make any more disruptions to the school calendar after changing the date of reopening schools after the August 9 general elections, twice.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, August 17, Magoha noted that a petition is expected to be filed to the Supreme Court challenging the outcome of the presidential results, and it may order a fresh election.

He added that the government will give a way forward on the matter, with the safety of learners of key concern.

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha addresses Manyatta Primary School pupils in Kisumu on March 24, 2021. /DAILY NATION

Magoha noted that students, especially in boarding schools will not be sent home; that it would be best for them to remain in schools, despite the classrooms being used as polling stations in an exercise that takes them a whole day.

"If there's an election somewhere and it will take a day, we are not going to ask children in boarding schools to go home again. It is far much wiser to ensure that the children in boarding schools remain there and do other things and avoid the classrooms where the voting will be taking place.

"They (students) can be asked to play games and stay in their hostels," he noted.

CS Magoha maintained that schools would resume on Thursday, August 18, 2022.

In a statement on Saturday, August 13, Magoha revealed that the elections vote tallying process was still ongoing, prompting another change in the opening date.

"Therefore, following further consultations, I hereby convey the Government's decision on the suspension of the re-opening of ALL Basic Education institutions with effect from Monday, August 15, 2022, until Thursday, August  18, 2022," the statement read.

Magoha had explained on Wednesday, August 10 that the changes were orchestrated by delays in the ongoing vote tallying process.

He further asked parents to ignore the initial communication that indicated that schools would reopen on Thursday, August 11.

Magoha sent apologies to the parents, guardians and learners who might have been affected by the sudden changes in opening dates.

The CS had noted that the dates were tentative and subject to change in the event the elections go into a repeat. He also warned of the national examinations calendar being affected.

The 2022 academic year consists of four national exams; the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE),  Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), and the Grade Three and Six exams under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). The calendar is different from the usual calendars given that it includes the CBC exams.

KCPE exams will be undertaken between November 28 and December 1, while KCSE will commence between December 1 and 23. 

KCSE students doing their exams. /FILE