Education CS George Magoha now says reopening of schools depends on how the Covid-19 pandemic is managed.
“Irrespective of what we are saying, the pandemic must come under control first. Everything else will have to follow. All these questions will depend on how the government will control the pandemic,” he said on Thursday, when he appeared before the parliamentary Education Committee.
The CS had earlier on extended school closure by another month from May 4 to June 4.
Schools were to resume next month according to the measures presented by the ministry on how government will compensate for the number of school learning days lost to the Covid-19 outbreak.
According to the report, the second term half-term would be shortened by four days while the August holiday would be shortened by two weeks to enable learners to capture what they missed.
The normal school day will also have longer hours.
However, the CS now says it is too early to give any specific dates for fear of speculations.
He noted that the Covid-19 pandemic is yet to show any signs of reaching its peak and therefore unwise to speculate.
“If the situation was to change in the course of the month, nothing stops the government from saying ‘well, I think now it’s safe enough to risk opening of schools’. If on the other hand, the situation becomes completely out of control, then we shall have to bite the bullet, the children are alive and they are at home. If it means that they will have to stay for a year, so be it, it’s not only in Kenya where this is happening,” he said.