Thika Town Member of Parliament (MP) Alice Ng'ang'a has called on the Ministry of Education to reconsider the opening dates for students nationwide.
Addressing the media on Saturday, April 27, 2024, the lawmaker said it is not ideal to gamble with the lives of learners amid the heavy rains that continue to wreak havoc in the country.
The MP highlighted that the rains could affect learners arguing that the Ezekiel Machogu-led ministry should reconsider extending the opening dates by a week to ensure the ongoing heavy rains reduce the intensity and become safe for learners.
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"Jana tulikua tumeambia waziri wetu wa elimu ya kwamba ata pia mimi achana na watoto wale watafungua, ata pia mimi na wewe ukienda kwa barabara uone huezi pita ama maji ni nyingi, niliona pahali madereva wa matatu, mabasi na malorry walikua wame underestimate nguvu ya maji na walipovuka barabara pale Athi niliona nissan na lorry imeangushwa mara moja.
"Ningeomba serikali mvua ikiendelea kunyesha hivi, it is better tue na watoto wetu wakiwa hai kushinda tuambie watoto waende shule wabebwe na maji. Kuna sikukuu ya Labour Day, ningependa kusema hivi, mvua ikiendelea Monday na Tuesday, wacha watoto waongezewe wiki ingine moja ndio tujue janga la mvua limeisha na watoto wetu wako safe. Mi ningesema kwa sababu ata kati kati ya wiki kuna holiday ningesema wapewe to wiki moja," she said.
Schools reopen
Schools are expected to reopen for the second term starting April 29, 2024, despite the ongoing rains which have flooded different parts of the country.
Confirming the reopening, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang who was speaking during the inaugural Annual Symposium on Competency-Based Assessment in Nairobi on Thursday, April 25, 2024, stated that a multi-agency team has been established to deal with the effects of the ongoing rains.
"I know this year we have been blessed with quite some rain and I know yesterday the President directed a multi-agency team to be able to deal with the challenges that have come with the rains," Kipsang said.
