The government plans to supply facemasks, soaps and sanitizers to students at a cost of Ksh2.1 billion as schools prepare to reopen in January.
The budget details are contained in a post-covid recovery plan released by the National Treasury dubbed Post-Covid-19 Economic Recovery Strategy (2020-2022).
The document notes that between December 2020 and June next year some Ksh500 million will be spent on face masks, soap and sanitizers.
The government has also committed to spending Ksh28.8 billion in the construction of new classrooms and the repair and expansion of existing infrastructure.
Ksh10 billion will be used to hire additional teachers in the coming two years. The school feeding program will also be expanded to the tune of Ksh5.6 billion to cover more institutions.
These initiatives are part of the grand plan that will necessitate the smooth running of schools as they reopen on January 4th next year.
The education sector is set to be the biggest beneficiary of the two-year stimulus plan as more money will go into primary, secondary and university education.
This will come as a relief to parents who were concerned about the cost of purchasing and maintaining face masks and sanitizers.
The government also intends to support free education, allocating Ksh78.9 billion for the next financial year.
On the feeding program, Ksh5 billion will go towards the nationwide expansion of the school meal program. Another Kh500 million will be allocated to implement comprehensive school health policies.
Another Ksh1.1 billion has also been planned to assist teachers, learners and education staff to deal with post-trauma stress of Covid-19.
Overall in the next two years, the Post –Covid Economic recovery strategy programmed seeks to increase Net –Enrollment- Rate through developing a funding framework for public pre-primary and primary education.
“The program seeks to provide instructional materials and operational subsidy for all students in public pre-primary and primary schools enhancing the safety of learners by implementing provided health protocols such as provision of face masks to all learners” reads the report.
