Magoha orders schools to plan reopening as Covid-19 cases rise by 148

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said Friday that learning institutions will “reopen soon”.

Speaking in Homa Bay while inspecting Mawego Technical Training Institute in Rachuonyo North, the CS said the government will next week give direction on when learning will resume.

“We have not decided when schools will reopen. We are now relooking at our system. We shall then meet as education stakeholders and decide on the reopening. We will then take the final report to another layer of government which I shall not mention,” he said, in apparent reference to the President.”

His announcement came as Kenya continued to record a reduction in the infection rates.

The number of coronavirus infections rose by 148 on Friday, with Mombasa County accounting for 40 of the new cases from a sample of 2,438. This raised Kenya’s total number of declared cases to 36,724.

Fatalities rose by four, bringing the total number of lives lost to the disease to 646. Health Cabinet Secretary said 98 people had recovered,  52 in hospital and 46 in the home-based care programme, raising the total to 23,709.

“Curve flattening”

Prof Magoha further said the coronavirus curve is flattening so learners should prepare to go back to school.

“I am not speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Health but I can authoritatively say the Covid-19 curve is flattening. Let teachers prepare to go back to school so that pupils can resume learning as soon as possible,” he said.

The government has allocated Sh1.9 billion for desks, chairs and lockers to be supplied to primary and secondary schools.

The furniture, to be locally assembled, it to be delivered to the learning institutions by the end of October.