Should candidates be allowed to go back to school?

Schools countrywide have been closed for a while and recently, students were instructed to stay home for an extra month up to June.

Candidates have been greatly affected by this move, considering they often sit for their mock exams around July.

Also, it is still unclear whether they will sit for the national examinations at the end of the year since some are yet to cover what is required.

Education stakeholders in the country are now contemplating whether schools should be reopened and the criteria that will be employed to ensure compliance with the regulations issued by the Ministry of Health.

In their submission to the taskforce appointed to assess the education situation, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) proposed the reopening of schools by mid-June.

KUPPET suggested that only candidates and final year university students should be allowed back into learning institutions.

According to KUPPET Chairman Omboko Milemba, social distancing can be achieved if the students are spread out to the rest of the classes in schools.

The body also proposes provision of water in schools and minimal interactions between students and service providers.

Further, it says that games should be prohibited for now and both teaching staff and students to be provided with face masks.

However, the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) is of the opinion that schools should remain closed until September and exams should be pushed to 2021.