Ensure all students are learning

The indefinite postponement of the reopening of schools for the second term by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu due to unprecedented heavy rains pointed to a bleak future for the school-going-children.

This week’s school reopening, therefore, comes as a huge relief to learners, especially the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination candidates, who were greatly affected in 2020 when learning institutions were closed due to Covid-19.

The Ministry of Education says it has put in place measures to ensure learners’ safety, such as mapping out the areas and schools still experiencing heavy rains and flooding, but more needs to be done.

For instance, some schools are still submerged in floodwaters, which partly swept away others. The government, consequently, needs to conduct a speedy needs assessment and ensure funds are disbursed to the affected schools for the immediate rebuilding and repairs of the affected institutions.

The school management and other relevant agencies should identify the affected children, especially those who lost their homes and loved ones. Such calamities can have a devastating effect on psychological health, hence the need to provide them with immediate guidance and counselling services.

Obviously, not all the students will report back to school, owing to the continuing heavy rains and floods. If the rains continue, what will happen to the affected children? Will they stay at home doing nothing as the rest elsewhere continue learning?

Let the ministry issue proper guidelines on how the affected children will be assisted.

Mr Chumo is an educational research, evaluation and assessment expert and physics teacher. [email protected].