Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha says all institutions of basic and higher learning in Kenya will reopen in January 2021, and not any time earlier.
Magoha, who toured Pwani University Wednesday to evaluate the institution’s COVID-19 preparedness, said the media has been misquoting him on the schools’ reopening date issue, hence “making me look like a fool before the eyes of Kenyans”.
“I will not, and shall not say anything in regard to the reopening of schools in Kenya. The Fourth Estate (the media) has continued to religiously write what I have not said [about that topic],” said Magoha while addressing journalists at Pwani University.
“You (journalists) keep on asking me the same question [about schools’ reopening date], then you go and portray my responses in a [very] different manner,” added the minister.
Magoha, however, stated that the Government’s position on learning resumption date has not changed, and that it remains to be January 2021.
“That position has not changed,” said Magoha. “However, we may relook the [schools’ reopening date] issue depending on how the virus behaves.”
“The media has made me look like someone who did not go to school. They have made me look like a person who flip-flops; someone who says this today, and says that tomorrow. I want to tell you (journalists) that I am above that kind of nonsense,” said Magoha.
The CS stated that the Government has set aside at least Ksh1.9 billion for the making of new desks which would facilitate social distancing once formal learning resumes.
“The government has developed a prototype of desks to be used in schools in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak. I have instructed all the 47 county commissioners to come to Nairobi and take a design of the prototype back to their respective counties so that the desk designs can be replicated at the sub-county level,” said the CS.
The months that the minister is said to have previously revealed would be schools’ reopening dates include: October 2020, November 2020, “later than January 2021”, among others.
