The Ministry of Education has unveiled the opening dates for the first term of 2024 in a statement released on Christmas. Pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools are scheduled to commence on January 8, 2024, while Form 1 students are expected to start on January 15.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has directed field officers to be present at their duty stations on all working days, aiding parents in preparing for the upcoming school year. Machogu has appealed to parents to actively support learners in getting ready for the imminent reopening and emphasized their responsibility in safeguarding children during the festive season, cautioning against the temptations that could lead them astray.
Particularly addressing the prevalent issue of drug and substance abuse in some parts of the country, Machogu urged caregivers to warn their children about these dangers. Despite government communication, reporting dates may pose challenges for Junior Secondary School (JSS) students, as over 20,000 intern teachers have issued a strike notice starting the 1st term of 2024.
The intern JSS teachers are at odds with the Teachers Service Commission over their request for permanent and pensionable job status. They are protesting the commission’s decision to retain them as interns on a stipend for the second year, insisting on permanent positions due to their qualifications, arguing that the internship status should only last a year. Despite the TSC’s threat to fire the intern teachers if they proceed to strike, a Nairobi Court upheld their contracts, stating that the commission is mandated to retain them until the court hears the presented petition.