CS Magoha announces progressive reopening of Universities, tertiary institutions from October 5

Final year students in all universities and tertiary institutions will be expected to report back to class on Monday, October 5, in progressive reopening, Ministry of Education CS George Magoha has said.

Thereafter, the Boards of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETs), Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) and University Councils will announce the resumption date of in-person learning for other classes.

Priority will be given to students taking science classes.

All the institutions will be expected to adhere strictly to the Ministry of Health guidelines on COVID-19.

The learning institutions  will be required to sporadically monitor temperatures for all students, enforce observance of hygiene as well as adopt innovative ways of enforcing social distance.

At the same time,  all institutions that previously served as designated quarantine facilities will be fumigated prior to their re-opening.

Further,  all institutions are required to have links to a  medical facility before the re-opening with the Education Ministry threatening punitive actions to institutions that will be found flouting the laid-out guidelines.

The fate of Primary and Secondary Schools however remains in limbo after President Uhuru Kenyatta failed to give a definite reopening date on Monday.

During the 12th address on the COVID-19 in the country at the KICC, President Kenyatta urged focus on ‘how’ schools would reopen and not ‘when’.

He said the conversation on “when” would only be had once the safety of the learners was assured.

“Learning institutions should only be reopened when we have and can sufficiently guarantee the safety of all our children. Let us not focus on when schools will reopen but on how they will reopen, ” he said

During the address, President Kenyatta called on Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha to finalize on how school’s would re-open safely, saying this would inform the decision on the actual reopening date.