The Ministry of Education has said that learners in Primary schools will have a mid-term break just like their secondary school counterparts.
The break will run from November 19th to November 23rd.
The clarification was made today by education CS Prof George Magoha while opening the Education and Innovation conference at the Murang’a University of Technology.
The move has come barely 24 hours after the ministry released a memo announcing a midterm break for students in secondary schools.
The notice signed by Early Learning and Basic Education PS Dr. Julias Jwan was silent on the fate of primary school learners.
This prompted disquiet from stakeholders.
Some questioned why primary schools were left out.
In the notice, Regional and County Directors of Education were directed that all secondary school students be given a mid-term break from 19th to 23rd of November.
“As you are aware, the Ministry of Education issued school term dates…via notice dated December 2020.
It has been decided that half term break will commence on Friday 19th November 2021. The students will report back on 23rd,” reads part of the notice dated 1st November.
There has been a wave of students unrest in the recent past in schools with learners being suspected of torching dormitories.
According to ministry data, there have been 24 school fires in the last two weeks.
This includes the fire outbreak at Buruburu Girls Secondary School which saw 67 students sustain injuries.
Other schools including Nyabigena Boys and Amabuko Secondary schools in Kisii, Tenges Boys, Kericho High, and Kipsigis Girls have also had reports of students going on the rampage.
A Nyeri court charged 24 students from Kanjuri and Kiarithaini secondary schools with malicious damage of property, preparing to commit a felony, and being in possession of bhang.
Education experts have linked the incidents to students’ pressure on learning content prompting them to express their displeasure through the unruly acts.
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