The Government has announced the closure of all Public and Private schools following the ongoing teachers' strike.
According to the directive by Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, all schools should remain closed from Monday, September, 21.
The directive, however, affects learners in class 1 to 7 and those in Form one to form three, with the candidates expected to remain in school.
The Ministry expects that TSC teachers who are in school and BOM teachers, will continue to teach and prepare KCPE and KCSE candidates.
The government attributed the move to the growing tension in schools, saying the decision is aimed at safeguarding students’ welfare.
According to the Education CS the closure of schools was also occasioned by very little or no teaching and learning in schools following the tutors industrial action.
Even so, the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) maintained that the national exams will go on as scheduled. KCSE exams will begin on October 12, and KCPE from November 10 to 12.
Teachers engaged in KNEC examination management, are expected to perform their duties as per the KNEC Act 2012.
KNEC, CEO Joseph Kivilu said security measures would be put in place countrywide to ensure the exams go on uninterrupted.
The over three weeks industrial action, which began at the beginning of the schools' third term, has since paralyzed learning in most public institutions with some schools sending learners back home.
The teachers' strike has flared into a full blown political storm, that has seen the Opposition declare a bid to remove President Uhuru Kenyatta from office.
Read Also: This is Why President Uhuru Could Be Kicked Out of Office
The stalemate continues with the government maintaining that it cannot effect the 50-60 per cent pay rise awarded by the court.
Read: Reasons Why Uhuru Kenyatta Rejected Teachers' Pay Rise
Teachers on the other hand have vowed to unrelentingly continue pushing for their legally awarded pay.
Meanwhile, the court has since issued an order directing the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to refrain from issuing any threats to teachers. Teachers have also been barred from staging any public protests.
It now remains to be seen how the stalemate between the teachers and their employer will be resolved.
Read Also: These are the Teachers Set to Miss September Salaries
