2,000 schools will not reopen today – state

Deputy Government spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga now says that at least 2,000 schools
will not reopen on Monday, May 13 as earlier on communicated by the government.

Speaking to one of the media house “Radio Citizen”, she said that this follows an assessment
done by relevant authorities on the preparedness of schools, following the heavy rains.
She went on to say that despite this, the government has put in place measures to ensure learners
from affected schools continue to receive education saying that that one of the steps taken by the
government is moving the affected learners to neighboring schools.
“Before we opened the schools, there were strategies we had put in place, for example,
there is a department that looks after the quality of buildings called Public Works. We
sent them to some schools to check if they were safe for students to go back. Some
gave their reports and as we speak 2,000 schools cannot be opened today,” she said.
“But it does not mean that those children will not have a chance to study. We have
transferred some students to schools that are nearby. And there are somewhere we
have set up tents and desks to have temporary classes.”
The deputy government spokesperson insisted that the state cannot continue delaying
the beginning of the second term, despite the floods having affected over 30 counties.
Chidzuga noted that most parts of the country are not severely affected and that
learning can go on.
She said the government is doing all that is within its ability to ensure that learners are
protected even as the school calendar resumes.
As a result of this she urged all Kenyans to be patience and support the government
in its bid to solve this menace.
Last week, President William Ruto announced that schools would reopen on Monday.
This was after the reopening had been postponed indefinitely over the floods.
On Thursday, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu said some schools in Tana River, Homa Bay and
Kisumu counties would not re-open, as directed.
According to the CS, these areas continue to experience flood-related challenges and
will require a lot more repairs before learning resumes.