The Kenya National Union of Teachers has backed the government’s decision to reopen schools and called for swift rehabilitation of damaged learning infrastructures.
The schools will reopen on Monday.
Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu said the continued closure of schools was going to affect the learning calendar as witnessed during the Covid-19 period, where learners lost a lot of time.
“We have assessed our 110 branches across the country where we established that 90 per cent of schools can be reopened,” he said.
Oyuu, who addressed the press in Kisumu on Friday, appealed to the Ministry of Education to conduct mapping in schools to assess the condition of the seriously affected institutions.
“We don’t want to go back to 2019 where learners and teachers lost a lot where the learning program was interfered with,” he said.
Oyuu added that not all schools are in the same state as those marooned.
“I have visited a school which was submerged yet the neighbouring one was okay and hosting those displaced by floods,” he said.
The devastating effects of floods have affected several schools across the country which forced the government to postpone the scheduled schools reopening.
The schools were scheduled to reopen on April 29. However, the government postponed the reopening by one week.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu had said sending students and staff to the affected schools would be putting their lives at risk.
The secretary general said learners in the affected schools could be transferred to neighbouring schools.
He pointed out that the National Government Constituency Development Fund cannot be fully relied on to sufficiently rehabilitate the affected schools.
“The government the Ministry of Education should use the infrastructure funds to improve on schools which have been dilapidated by the torrential rains,” Oyuu said.
He also called on well-wishers to help in the reconstruction of schools which have been affected.
“This is the time to show your statesmanship in terms of matters of success in education in this country which has been affected,” Oyuu said.
Based on the assessments in various schools, latrines in some schools have sunk while in others infrastructure has collapsed.
He cited Ahero Girls in Nyando, Kisumu, which he visited, where reopening will be delayed.
The union boss called for heightened hygiene in schools following the sinking of latrines with some full due to floods to prevent learners from contracting waterborne diseases.
Oyuu also supported the extension of the school calendar to enable teachers and learners to recover the lost time.
“Our teachers are very dedicated and we have faith in them to cover the syllabus on time. They did it during the Covid-19 and all shall be well,” he said.
On Thursday, Machogu said 2,155 schools may not reopen for the second term on Monday, despite President William Ruto’s order that learning resumes on May 13.
He said up to five per cent of schools will not resume learning because the infrastructure has been badly damaged by floods.
The affected schools are spread across seven counties, including Tana River, Homa Bay and Kisumu. He said these areas continue to experience flood-related challenges and will require a lot more repairs before learning resumes.
Machogu said alternative interventions were being explored to ensure learners do not lose out on the affected schools.