Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has explained the reasons behind issuing a late night directive postponing the reopening of schools by a week, a decision that has elicited mixed reactions across the country.
In an exclusive interview with Nation.Africa, CS Machogu said the Ministry of Education made the decision to save learners’ lives after receiving data from various counties that travel has been adversely affected by heavy rains. Basic facilities in various schools have also been affected by floods.
This, he said, was based on data that was collated on Saturday and Sunday, informing the last minute decision to postpone reopening of schools.
“We’re talking about life, which is paramount, leave alone the inconvenience [of the postponement] that people are talking about. If schools open in the current situation and something terrible happens, they’ll again blame Machogu. I chose to save lives,” CS Machogu told Nation.Africa.
"We’re monitoring the situation very closely," he added.
The decision is an about-turn from Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang's, who last week announced that schools would reopen despite ongoing heavy rains, save for the few schools affected by flooding.
Rude shock
Uniformed students spotted while headed to school in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County, on April 29, 2024.
For Kenyan parents and learners, it was a mixed bag of relief and shock when they woke up to news of the postponement. Most public primary schools were set to open today and many had already travelled, only to be sent back home when they arrived.
Parents who had already sent their children to school early in the morning faulted the Ministry for not informing them in good time.
Some parents complained that their children who study in schools far away from home had already left the previous evening before the announcement by the CS. Teachers whose work stations are far away from their homes had also travelled in preparation for schools reopening.
“It is not right. Giving communication at the right time is vital in any organisation and more so in education where everyone is a consumer. Imagine some parents had booked SGR [train] longtime for their children and have already started their journey to the station only to be informed of the postponement on their way,” a parent said.
