New school term dates out

By Standard Correspondent

Primary and Secondary Schools will now open on 7th January, 2013 and close on 12th April, 2013, the Permanent Secretary for Education, Prof. George Godia has said.

The learners will, however, be expected, break off for a half term from 25th February to 7th March, 2013, in view of the  General Elections slated to be held on 4th March, 2013, Prof. Godia adds.

The Permanent Secretary was speaking during the Nyakiambi Girls thanks/prize giving day in Mirangine District, Nyadarua County at the Schools grounds yesterday.

Prof. Godia said the new dates were agreed upon after consultations with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and other stakeholders.

He said the Ministry and Knec will ensure that examinations, whose dates remains as earlier announced, will be marked and report done early enough.

The Ministry revised the term to compensate for the time learners lost during the three weeks teachers strike.

Following the review of term dates in third term, the Government revised term dates for 2013 school calendar where schools would have opened 4th February, 2013 and closed on 17th May 2013 for First Term.

Stakeholders in education expressed reservations that the 2013 term dates would inconvenience teaching and learning particularly because learners will hardly have settled for serious learning if they were to open in February, when the electioneering moot grips the country for the 4th March, 2013, General Elections.

 

Owners of Private Schools had similarly expressed concern about the new dates, saying they would have disrupted their financial and other strategic plans for private school administration.

 

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary and Head of the Public Service, Mr. Francis Kimemia has assured Examinations candidates in Coastal Kenya that they will sit their examinations in a secure environment.

He said the Government would provide sufficient security to ensure they sat for their respective examinations without disturbance of any sort.

The Mombasa Republican Council (MCR) has reportedly vowed to disrupt Standard eight and Form four examinations including the holding of General Elections at the Coast.