Ezekiel Machogu Issues New Circular On School Reopening, Addresses 4 Key Issues Of Concern

• Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu issued new guidelines for school reopening scheduled for Monday, May 6
• Machogu highlighted the destruction caused by the extreme weather conditions, including damage to schools, as well as hosting Internally Displaced Persons in some schools
• Education officers were tasked with working with National Government Administration Officers to find alternative accommodation for affected individuals
• Machogu directed school officials to assess the safety of school infrastructure and submit reports detailing damages and mitigation measures

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has issued new guidelines for school reopening on Monday, May 6.

In a statement on Thursday, May 2, the CS acknowledged that heavy rains and floods had occasioned the postponement of the schools' opening date.

Machogu stated that the rains have negatively impacted schools, including damage to some school infrastructure, submerging buildings and sanitation facilities.

He pointed out that apart from destroying learning and teaching materials, some schools were hosting Internally Displaced Persons.

The CS explained that the new measures before Monday, May 6, were aimed at ensuring the safety of learners and staff.

What are Machogu's new directives?

Machogu advised parents to ensure their children arrive at school on time, adding that the extreme weather conditions had made movement difficult.

"The prevailing weather conditions pose accessibility challenges due to flash floods, swollen rivers and landslides thus affecting the transport system for learners to and from school. Parents are, therefore, required to ensure that their children safely report to school on time," he said in the statement seen by TUKO.co.ke.

He directed educational officers to work with National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) to ensure Kenyans accommodated in the schools are given alternative accommodations to allow normal learning.

Field education officers have further been tasked with providing mitigation measures so that learning in flooded institutions is not disrupted. Some of these mitigation measures may include:

"Where it is impossible to continue learning in the most severely affected institutions, Boards of Management (BOMS) are advised to temporarily keep the school(s) closed until the situation improves," Machogu added.

Machogu's take on safety in school

The CS observed that school infrastructure might be unsafe for learners to use, thereby affecting their readiness to resume learning.

He directed school officials across the country to ensure students and staff are not hosted in life-threatening buildings.

"All Boards of Management (BoMs) of schools are directed to convene meetings and submit reports to the CEB regarding the status of their respective schools. These reports should detail any damages incurred due to the adverse conditions and outline mitigation measures to ensure conducive learning environment," he added.

How Sakaja helped stranded students

Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja visited the Nairobi central business district (CBD), where he covered the transportation costs for stranded students.

In a circulating video on social media, Sakaja was observed engaging with matatu operators and organizing for the students' transportation back home.

In a separate video, he was observed inquiring from students about the amount required for their bus fare.

Proofreading by Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke