The Ministry Of Education Has Made Changes To The Current Academic Calendar To Cater For 9th August General Elections.
Education officials are planning to adjust the second term school calendar due to the general election on 9 August.
According to the academic calendar released by the Ministry of Education for the current academic year, schools are expected to proceed for the second term half term break on August 11, two days after the election scheduled on August 9, which means that schools will be in session on voting day.
However, ministry officials said yesterday that the calendar needs to be adjusted to ensure students take the half-term break before the election date to allow institutions to be used as polling stations.
Officials explained that a precedent had been set in the 2017 re-election presidential election on October 26, which saw the closure of all schools to allow the institutions to be used as polling stations on voting day.
“During the re-run of the presidential election, the Ministry made a slight adjustment to the school calendar to accommodate the exercise. It will be the same this year as the elections will be held in the middle of the term, so there is no reason to be alarmed, “the officials said.
Cabinet Secretary for Education George Magoha previously warned against the destruction of school property during the voting exercise.
In the elections of 8 August 2017, schools were closed earlier than expected to allow IEBC to use the institutions as polling stations or counting centers.
A revised school schedule for the current year indicates that the second term starts on July 11 and lasts 10 weeks until September 16, while the third term will start on September 26 and run until November 25.
As the country prepares for general elections, training institutes are also racing against time to cover most of their schedule at least by the time the general election is held.
Most learning institutions have adapted their learning programs accordingly in an effort to compensate for the electoral break as most schools are used as voting or counting centers. Some schools have started special learning schedules for makeup classes, especially for examination classes, to cover the time that will be taken for electoral activities.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Coast Chapter chair David Mulei is optimistic that learning will not be disrupted unless in the event of a run-off.
“The only fear we have is if there will be a run-off in the presidential race, but as it stands, schools will be on half term, therefore we believe that it will not affect the syllabus,” Mulei told People Daily.
Institutions of higher learning have also not been left behind in ensuring they cover as much as they can.
At Technical University of Mombasa (TUM), Vice Chancellor Prof Laila Abubakar said learning at the institution had been adjusted, with the institution projecting to close by July 31.
The Ministry Of Education Has Made Changes To The Current Academic Calendar To Cater For 9th August General Elections.
