Schools in Kenya to remain shut until 2021

Kenya on Tuesday declared that its school year was considered lost because of the coronavirus pandemic, and primary and secondary pupils would return to class next January.

The school year in the East African country runs from January to November, when it climaxes with end-of-term exams.

But Education Minister George Magoha said in a statement that the curve of Covid-19 infections was expected to flatten only by December.

As a result, no primary and secondary school examinations will be held and “the 2020 school calendar year will be considered lost due to Covid-19 restrictions”, he said.

Kenya closed schools on 15 March when it had only three confirmed cases, among a raft of measures taken that month including a nighttime curfew to combat the spread of the virus.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday announced a “phased reopening” of the country, with international flights resuming on 1 August and the lifting of internal travel restrictions that had cordoned off the capital for four months. The 21:00 to 04:00 curfew will remain in place.