Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said that learners in some of the country’s primary and secondary schools will resume for the second term later than usual.

Speaking on Friday, April 26, during a press briefing on the ongoing floods in Karen, Gachagua said the schools whose reopening date would be rescheduled are those in areas hardly hit by floods.

He added that the Ministry of Education would coordinate with various county governments to analyse the situation on the ground before parents and students are advised on the changes.

The DP, however, maintained that students whose schools have not been affected by the rains will report to school next week in accordance with the Education Ministry’s 2024 academic calendar.

“On a case by case, it will be analysed on its own merit. Where there is a need to extend the opening day, we can do that. Otherwise, for the purpose of the country, the school will open as planned,” he stated.

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According to Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, 64 schools in Nairobi have been affected by the rains and will reopen once normalcy is restored.

“In Nairobi County, we have 64 schools which are substantially affected in terms of classes and washrooms. We decided to deal with them as local issues so that we cannot ask all schools not to open.

“This is because Nairobi has 210 public schools and 800 private schools. For the 64, we might delay their opening,” he stated.

This comes as the country continues to experience heavy downpours. The Kenya Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a heavy rains advisory, calling on Kenyans to be on high alert as heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in various parts of the country.

“Flooding is expected in low-lying areas, those in flood plains as well as in urban areas with poor drainage,” Director of Meteorological Services David Gikungu said.