Education Cabinet Secretary professor George Magoha has stated that the decision on whether to reopen schools will be announced after a key stakeholders’ meeting that is expected to take place on or before September 25.
Magoha spoke on Monday after a meeting with stakeholders in education sector at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum and Development(KICD) headquarters.
“The President, in his last address, was crystal clear that within 3 weeks there would be a larger stakeholders’ conference headed by CS Matiang’i and CS Kagwe. That meeting will take place sometimes around or before September 25th,” stated Magoha.
Owing to the declining number of Covid-19 cases, Magoha exuded confidence that decisions regarding the reopening of learning institutions may change.
“Decisions regarding the reopening of learning institutions may change as informed by reports obtained from the Ministry of Health, prevailing circumstances and increased knowledge of COVID-19,” said Magoha.
In July, the Education Ministry announced that schools will not reopen until next year.
The CS also dismissed claims that there exist bad blood between him and secretary general of Kenya National Union of Teachers, Wilson Sossion. He rubbished reports that the Sossion is against what the ministry of education is doing.
He said, “Whoever wants us to continue fighting with Sossion has failed miserably, you can ignore the message that went across that Sossion is opposing what we’re doing. It is not true.”
BOM Teachers
On the issue of payment of salaries of Board of Management(BOM) teachers, Magoha noted that they should have been paid by now. He said that the government approved their payment over six weeks ago.
“BOM teachers should now actually have been paid. The Cabinet and the government approved their payment over six weeks ago, so let us not waste so much energy discussing non-issues,” noted CS Magoha.
The former Chairman of Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Board, further told off journalists for misreporting him as for the last few weeks. He stated that no one except him should speak on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
“All that was being said and printed in the newspapers were your opinions, there is only one bonafide spokesperson for the Ministry of Education and that person, for the time being, is the Cabinet Secretary, who happens to be my most humble self,” stated Magoha.