The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) on Tuesday, November 3, announced that it was now admitting all first year and post-graduate students.
An internal memo seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert Kinyua informed the school fraternity that November 9, was the date on which they would be expected back in school.
"During a Special Meeting of Senate held on November 2, it was resolved that the University reopens blended learning (Face to face and online learning) for first year students (September 2019, September 2020) & all Postgraduate students with effect from Monday, November 9, 2020," the memo read in part.
The aforementioned students were also directed to ensure that they had made reservations for their hostels by November 5, via the university's online platform.
According to the Ministry of Education's regulations on schools reopening, universities are required to be linked to a health facility before reopening. Punitive actions have been stipulated for institutions that will be found flouting the laid-out guidelines.
Education CS George Magoha gave universities the green light to reopen starting October 5, 2020.
The learning institutions will be required to sporadically monitor temperatures for all students, enforce the observance of hygiene as well as adopt innovative ways of maintaining social distance.
During the 12th address on the Covid-19 situation in the country at the KICC, President Kenyatta urged focus on ‘how’ schools would reopen and not ‘when’.
The President insisted that the conversation on “when” would only be had once the safety of the learners was assured.
“Learning institutions should only be reopened when we have and can sufficiently guarantee the safety of all our children. Let us not focus on when schools will reopen but on how they will reopen, ” he asserted.
On August 25, students from several universities, through the presidents of their unions, penned a letter to the President demanding the reopening of universities in mid-September.
In the letter, the students lamented that their future was uncertain arguing that other sectors in the economy were already reopening.
They also lamented that Education CS George Magoha had not sought their opinion before implementing Covid-19 containment policies in the education sector.
