Schools to open despite heavy rains, says PS Kipsang
Students walk in the rain.
Schools will reopen for the second term next week despite the ongoing heavy rains and floods that have affected critical infrastructure across the country, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said on Thursday.
He said preparations were underway for the opening. As part of the preparations, the Director General of the Ministry of Education, Elyas Abdi, has issued a circular to regional directors of education instructing them to collect data on the impact of the rain and floods and submit it by today (Friday).
"We are ready and we are looking forward to our children going to school. As a ministry, we will be actively involved in the multitasking efforts alongside our colleagues to ensure the safety of our children as they resume their studies," said Dr Kipsang.
He was speaking during the Kenya National Examinations Council's (Knec) first annual symposium on Competency Based Assessment (CBA) in Nairobi.
The PS said a directive by President William Ruto to a multi-agency team to address the challenges posed by the rains is being implemented. This is part of the comprehensive preparations aimed at facilitating the return of learners to schools across the country, Dr Kipsang said.
The announcement comes amid concerns about the impact of the heavy rains on infrastructure and transport networks, raising questions about the feasibility of resuming school activities.
The data being collected by the ministry is to determine the readiness of basic education institutions for the new term to inform planning, especially for the Education in Emergencies Cluster Working Group. Dr Abdi asked regional directors to work with management committees to ensure that all basic education institutions open for the second term.
"Data on the impact of the rains and floods will be critical to share with the Education in Emergencies Cluster Working Group," it said.
On assessment, Dr Kipsang said the change in Kenya's educational assessment system and curriculum is crucial as it moves away from traditional high-pressure assessments like the KCPE to a holistic approach.
"We will anchor our assessment on both formative and summative assessment so that we can give our children equal opportunities," he said.
Dr Kipsang's continuous school-based assessments will provide a more comprehensive understanding of a learner's progress than traditional examinations.
The competency-based assessment, which will be implemented from primary to secondary school, will include both formative and summative assessments, and teachers will be at the heart of its success.
"Our teachers have shown remarkable commitment and adaptability in embracing this change. Their efforts have ensured alignment between school-based and summative assessments," the PS said.
He advised students to find schools that match their strengths and interests, especially at the senior level when choosing their preferred pathways.
"We want to take everyone with us as we now move to the next critical stage, which is pathways and placement in those pathways."
On certification and grading, Dr Kipsang said the Grade 12 examination will determine placement into courses, either in universities or in the world of work.
In Grade 6, learners take the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA) summative test, which is weighted at 60 per cent of their marks. Formative tests in Grades 4 and 5 account for 40 per cent.
"The 60 per cent was between the learner and the teacher. So why should we be so concerned that we have to get someone else to help us with that assessment?" he asked.
"As we move forward from Grade 6, we will allow the teacher to take the lead in their progress and their work."
Going forward, he said, police officers will not be allowed in schools when learners take their Grade 6 and 9 examinations, noting that the police officers will only collect and deliver the examination papers.
"Police officers will not be allowed in examination centres during the CBC Grade 6 and 9 examinations," the PS said.
The PS added that the government is planning to build 16,000 new classrooms in primary schools to accommodate the first Grade 9 learners in 2025. He assured that the classrooms will be ready by January 2025, when Grade 9 learners will move to the last class of junior school.
