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Nearly 2,000 schools countrywide affected by ongoing floods

Students of Moi Avenue School returning home after the reopening of schools was postponed on April 29, 2024 (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

By Lucy Mumbi | 02 May 2024

The situation has forced the Ministry of Education to grapple with significant challenges in ensuring continuity of learning for thousands of affected students.

The ongoing flood crisis in the country has severely impacted the educational sector, affecting nearly two thousand schools across the country.

According to the latest data provided by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, a total of 1,967 schools have been disrupted by the ongoing heavy rains.

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The situation has forced the Ministry of Education to grapple with significant challenges in ensuring continuity of learning for thousands of affected students.

In order to ensure the safety of learners, the Ministry on Monday opted to extend the reopening of schools by one week to May 6, 2024, stating that proceeding with the scheduled reopening on April, 29, could jeopardise the safety of both learners and educational staff.

"The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools is so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety of all affected school communities," the Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said.

Learners stranded

However, the changes left many students stranded in bus stations as the circular was released on the same day the schools were supposed to reopen.

Mbooni Girls Secondary school students stranded at the Tea Room Bus Station in Nairobi on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

Mbooni Girls' Secondary School students are pictured at the Tea Room Bus Station in Nairobi after the postponement of the schools' reopening on April 29, 2024. (Photo: Justine Ondieki)

The circular issued by the Ministry around 1 a.m. sparked a public uproar due to the timing of the communication.

Several parents and education stakeholders expressed dissatisfaction, noting that some students had already started their journeys back to school.

However, responding to the criticism, Machogu stated that the decision was a precautionary measure to safeguard student safety amidst reports of significant damage to school infrastructure and roads in several rain-affected counties.

This was after they called for the collection of data, which Machogu said was done last weekend, prompting the Ministry to release the announcement late at night.

“We’re talking about life, which is paramount, leave alone the inconvenience of the postponement that people are talking about. If schools open in the current situation and something terrible happens, they’ll again blame Machogu. I chose to save lives,” Machogu said.

He added that efforts are being intensified to address the immediate needs of the educational institutions and to facilitate the resumption of normal school activities as swiftly as possible.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly Committee on Education had invited Machogu to address the consequences of the last-minute changes to school opening dates.

The Members of Parliament were set to question Machogu on the impacts the changes have had on the academic calendar on Thursday but was postponed to a later date.