The Ministry of Education has announced the postponement of the reporting of Form One students to their respective secondary schools.
In a circular addressed to school heads and the National Parents Association on Wednesday, April 27, Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Julius Jwan noted that Form Ones will report to school on Wednesday, May 4.
This follows the gazettement of May 3, the initial reporting date, as a public holiday by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to mark Idd-ul-Fitr.
"The CS for Interior gazetted May 3 as a public holiday, which is the date the Form One students were expected to report. Consequently, it has been decided that the reporting date will be Thursday May 4. Please ensure that all schools are notified of the change," read the statement in part.
Idd-ul-Fitr is a festival of breaking the fast and marks the end of the month-long fasting by Muslims during Ramadan. The holiday usually follows the sighting of the moon.
"It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 of the Public Holidays Act, declares that Tuesday, May 3, 2022, shall be a public holiday to mark Idd-ul-Fitr," read part of the Gazette notice.
The declaration by PS Jwan comes as a reprieve for parents who are in a rush to purchase admission materials and others requirements, as they also confront a spike in market prices.
Parents have also raised concerns over directives issued by some schools, that uniforms be bought from specific outlets. The majority of them claimed that the recommended retail stores charge higher than the standard prices.
"We have been asked to only buy uniforms from specific shops which are selling them very expensively overburdening us even as we prepare to take our children back to school," one parent lamented.
While announcing the Form One placement on April 11, Education CS Prof George Magoha warned school heads against making unwarranted demands to students while admitting them to school.
Among the items include exercise, text and storybooks, which he stated the government would provide and non academic related items such as hockey sticks, machetes and slashers.
Magoha further asked principals to admit students whether or not they are able to complete the school fees. He assured them that the government had already released money to the institutions to cater for the first term of the 2022 academic year, which kicked off on Monday, April 25.
