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Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha has ordered all schools to be closed effective from Tuesday 2nd August 2022 to allow Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) to conduct the general elections.
As has been in previous elections, many public schools are slated to be used as polling stations and thus occasioning the break.
In a statement on Monday 1st Augst 2022, Magoha said that all Students from all basic education institutions would proceed for their half term effective tomorrow Tuesday 2nd August 2022 to Thursday 11th August 2022.
He added that this communication overrides the prior communication where the Education Ministry had set Saturday 6th August as the stipulated date for closure.
“As you are all aware, Kenya is scheduled to conduct its National Elections on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. Therefore, following further consultations, I hereby convey the Government’s decision on the immediate closure of all Basic Education institutions with effect from Tuesday, August 2, 2022, until Wednesday, August 10, 2022, to ensure that preparations and conduct of the upcoming elections is carried out seamlessly.”
“Schools and Parents are advised to ensure that learners from all Basic Education institutions proceed on their half-term break effective Tuesday, August 2, 2022, and resume on Thursday, August 11, 2022,” he said.
He added that the school opening dates were subject to change in a case of repeat election.
“We may have to sit down as stakeholders and see whether it will be fair to examine the children if they will have lost a considerable amount of time, I pray that that does not happen, these children have suffered enough,” he said.