Schools Will Re-open On Monday – Magoha
The Ministry of Education has shifted the nationwide school re-opening dates from Thursday, August 11 to Monday, August 15, 2022.
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha said in a press statement on Wednesday that the changes were brought about by an expected delay in the vote tallying process.
“I ordered the early closure of all Basic Education Institutions on August 1, 2022, to allow for adequate preparation and conduct of the General Elections.”
“We indicated that the reopening date would be August 11th, 2022,” Magoha said in part.
“We have however been informed that the process of tallying of ballots may still be ongoing on the aforementioned date.
“Therefore, following further consultations, I hereby convey the Government’s decision that Basic Education Institutions will re-open from Monday, 15th August, 2022,” it further read.
Magoha stated that the most recent communication supersedes any previous communication from the ministry regarding the reopening of basic education institutions.
“We apologize for any inconvenience occasioned by these changes and ask for your indulgence, as we work through ensuring the safety and comfort of learners through this period,” he added.
Magoha had stated on July 31 that schools would reopen on August 15 but later changed the date to August 11 after ordering immediate closure of schools in a statement on August 1.
Parents were disappointed by the sudden order to close schools, prompting the Education CS to apologize for the inconvenience.
Prof. George Magoha, Cabinet Secretary for Education, stated last week that students will be allowed to return to school after the midterm break if the environment is safe following the general elections.
He urged parents not to be concerned about their children’s safety, saying that the government will be on the lookout and may extend the reporting deadline if necessary.
Given that the presidential candidates have promised to accept the results, the CS expressed confidence that the country will remain peaceful after the elections.
“Assuming everything else is constant, the children should go back to school on August 11. However, the date may change depending on the political environment.
"For the love of our children, if we feel that they should stay home for one or two more days, we will then pronounce ourselves at that time. The public should not be worried at all because we will be on the watch,” he stated.
The CS stated that learners had suffered greatly as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic disruptions and that there was no need for additional extensions due to an unsafe political environment.
He urged politicians to exercise caution as they vote for the sake of the children.
“We hope the political environment will be peaceful after the elections so that schools may reopen from the midterm break as projected.
"Our children have been disrupted for long by the Covid-19 pandemic and there is no need for further disruptions,” he said.
During the pandemic, schools were closed for about eight months, completely disrupting the educational calendar.
The Ministry of Education hopes to resume the regular school calendar in January of next year.
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“I plead with all politicians not to cause further disruptions by refusing election results. You must be prepared to win or lose.
"They must also be careful with whatever they say in public and accept the fact that there can only be one winner,” he said.
Schools Will Re-open On Monday – Magoha
