Parents, Teachers Demand New School Calendar

The chairperson also warned against further postponements, saying the government would be forced to reschedule the national exams.

Prof. George Magoha, Cabinet Secretary for Education | PHOTO COURTESY

Teachers and parents want Education CS George Magoha to change the school calendar after the elections. 

Education stakeholders lamented that students are likely to perform poorly in the upcoming national elections, necessitating a revision of the school calendar. 

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) chairperson Kahi Indimuli argued that school closures hampered candidates’ preparation for national exams. 

The chairperson also warned against further postponements, saying the government would be forced to reschedule the national exams.

“We are in the period of preparing the candidates for the national exams and the closure affects the final preparation for the candidates. If we delay further, maybe the minister may be forced to call a stakeholder meeting to discuss further whether we will be ready to sit for the exams in December 2022,” Indimuli said.

National Parents Association chairperson Nicholas Maiyo, for his part, stated that children’s prolonged stay at home will have an impact on their academic performance. 

Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha announced an indefinite closure of all educational institutions on August 1 to allow the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to prepare for the elections, with the resumption date set for August 11. 

The opening dates were later pushed back to Thursday, August 18. A number of parents had raised concerns about Magoha’s recent changes to school opening and closing times.