Gov’t Directs All Schools To Close For Midterm Today
Gov’t Directs All Schools To Close For Midterm Today: Schools across the country will today proceed for mid-term break amid ongoing demonstrations over the Finance Bill 2024.
The Half Term was Originally scheduled for June 20 to June 24, the Mid Break was then moved to June 26 to 28, according to a revised school calendar owing to the heavy floods experienced in April and May.
The mid-term break coincides with the planned protests against the Finance Bill, 2024, raising concerns that students might be caught in the demonstrations or even influenced to participate.
Silas Obuhatsa, the chairman National Parents Association on Sunday called on schools to make arrangements for students’ transport as they leave school.
He stated, “We have asked the Ministry of Education to provide clear guidance on how student safety will be ensured, especially those traveling home during the demonstrations,”
“Teenagers are susceptible to peer pressure. It’s crucial for parents to monitor their children and ensure they don’t get involved in protest activities,” he added.
This comes after Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman Willy Kuria said day secondary schools are facing a great financial burden because they solely depend on capitation to fund operations.
While launching the fourth National Education Sector Strategic Plan 2023-27 Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced that schools will receive capitation for the second term in the course of June.
“We are at an advanced stage of ensuring that second term capitation will be released in the course of this month. No school will close because 50 per cent capitation was given to both primary and secondary schools,” he said.
Machogu said schools will get 30 per cent capitation for the second term and 20 per cent for the third term.