Government orders closure of public and private schools as teachers’ strike bites

Kenya: The Government has ordered all public and private schools to be closed starting Monday following the ongoing teachers’ strike that is now on its third week.

However, examination candidates in Standard Eight and Form Four will remain in school to do their revision in preparation for the upcoming national exams.

Ministry of Education, in a circular sent to newsrooms Friday, revised the term dates for learners in Standard 1-7 and Form 1-3  in secondary schools. The schools, which opened on August 31, will now close on September 21 . Education ministry said other term dates will be communicated in due course.

The government said the closure of schools was occasioned by very little or no teaching and learning in the last three weeks due to the teachers strike.

“The revision of the term dates for primary and secondary schools has been necessitated by the fact that very little or no teaching and learning has been going on in most of these institutions in the last three weeks with an exception of examination classes. As a result, tension has been buiding up among learners, who have been left idle under the care of very few teachers. Some incidences of insecurity in schools have been reported by Heads of Institutions and Field Officers during the said period”, the circular read in part.

The ministry further said teachers engaged in KNEC examination management will be expected to perform their duties as per the KNEC Act 2012.

The teachers went on strike after government failed to effect 50-60 per cent pay rise awarded to them by court.