MPs Request for Extension of School Reopening Dates Amid Heavy Rains

MPs Makes Demands to MoE Amid Heavy Rainfall. Alice Ng’ang’a, a Member of Parliament representing Thika, has called on the government to extend the school holiday by one week to ensure the safety of students. Speaking in Thika, Ng’ang’a stressed the importance of assessing the situation before reopening schools, especially with the Kenya Meteorological Department predicting more rain.

Concerned about the midweek holiday on Wednesday, she expressed worries about children’s safety and proposed an additional week if the rain persists on Monday and Tuesday. Ng’ang’a emphasized prioritizing students’ safety over the risk of exposing them to floods by reopening schools prematurely.

She urged the Ministry of Education to postpone the reopening date due to the current adverse weather conditions.

The call for an extended holiday comes as the death toll from flooding rises to 83, with 13 more bodies recovered recently. The recovery of four bodies from the River Kwa Musii in Makueni brings the total deaths from the vehicle incident to nine.

Another fatality was found in Mathare, raising Nairobi’s death toll to 15, while three individuals drowned in Machakos after the Tindanda River swept away their vehicle.

Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura reported that the floods have displaced 24,196 houses, affecting 131,450 people. The government has intensified search and rescue efforts through a multiagency team as many families continue to suffer from floodwaters.

Regarding student safety, Ng’ang’a emphasized the risks of reopening schools amidst heavy rains and flooding while distributing bursaries to secondary school students in her constituency. She, along with Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah, urged authorities to postpone the reopening by at least one week due to inadequate planning.

Ng’ang’a argued that ensuring children’s safety should take precedence over forcing them to attend school amid the risk of drowning in floods.

However, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang maintained that schools would resume next week despite the adverse weather conditions. He assured that preparations for the reopening were underway and instructed regional education directors to assess the impact of rain and floods.

Dr. Kipsang emphasized the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with other agencies to ensure students’ safety.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua announced that some primary and secondary schools would delay reopening for the second semester due to flood damage. Gachagua assured that affected schools’ reopening dates would be adjusted accordingly, and the Ministry of Education would work with county governments to evaluate each situation. Nonetheless, schools unaffected by floods are expected to follow the 2024 academic calendar, with reopening planned for the upcoming week.

MPs Makes Demands to MoE Amid Heavy Rainfall