Kenya: CS George Magoha to abolish half-term breaks and slash holidays

The Education Ministry of Kenya has proposed a new academic calendar to ensure the syllabus is adequately covered after learning was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news report by Kenyans.co.ke.

Education CS George Magoha wants to abolish half-term breaks and also slash holidays from one month to two weeks. 

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General, Wilson Sossion has detailed that emphasis was being placed on teachers to ensure students are not exhausted. 

This was after questions were raised on the ability of primary and secondary school students to withstand a crash program, similar to one adopted for University students.

"Teachers will ensure students do not burn out," Sossion stated. The teachers will be trained on how to handle the crash program but will be advised to develop them on their own. 

They are expected to report back to schools the latest Monday, September 28, following a directive issued by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia.

Once schools reopen between October 5 and 19, learning will go on uninterrupted until December 2020. Students will then proceed on a two-week Christmas and New Year's Eve. 

After reporting in January 2021, they will learn for two and a half months before the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams are administered to Form Four students in March 2021. 

The Ministry is planning to have the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examination issued immediately after KCSE is completed.