President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed schools and universities in Kenya to fully resume on 4 January 2021 for on site learning after almost a year-long shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
President Kenyatta announced this at Nyayo National Stadium on Saturday during celebrations marking Kenya’s Independence from British rule in 1963.
The 59-year-old also ordered all schools to admit pregnant girls back to school.
President Kenyatta asked parents and guardians to facilitate their children to resume learning when schools reopen.
“In line with the policy of the Government on universal and compulsory basic education for all children up to 18 years, all parents and guardians are required to facilitate their children to resume learning in January 2021,” said Kenyatta.
To ensure compliance with the directive and guarantee that no child will be left behind, President Kenyatta ordered the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, through chiefs and their assistants, to ensure that all children report back to school next month.
At the same time, Kenyatta instructed the Ministry of Education to re-issue and publicise the Education Policy on School Re-Entry to facilitate the re-admission of all learners who may not be able to report back due to pregnancy.
On containment of coronavirus in schools, the President said the ministries of Education and Health have developed specific protocols and guidelines to facilitate the re-opening of all learning institutions.
While paying tribute to Kenya’s founding fathers for laying a solid foundation for socio-economic and political development, Kenyatta said the Presidential economic strategy, the Big 4 Agenda, builds on the intentions of the previous state administrations.
“Each generation of leaders in this process understood that Kenya was a work in progress. They built and improved on the platforms left by the previous leader. They had to make better what others had done.
“And this is the logic behind the Big 4. It is not a project, it is a process. It is a framework, which I have used to organise the delivery of Government services in order to improve on what previous Presidents did,” Kenyatta said.
The President said the Big 4 Agenda boosts aspirations that run through the country’s history, focusing on four intents of the liberation struggle and the aspirations of the nation’s founding fathers.
The Big 4 Agenda aims at improving manufacturing, agriculture, industry and housing among other economic sectors.