UDA MP ALICE NG’NG’A now tells RUTO to postpone the reopening of schools as rains wreak havoc around the country

Sunday, April 28, 2024 - Thika Member of Parliament, Alice Ng’ang’a, has called on the government to prolong the school holiday by an extra week to ensure the safety of students.

Speaking in Thika on Saturday, Ng’ang’a stressed the importance of assessing the situation before reopening schools, especially with the Kenya Meteorological Department predicting further rainfall.

"We have a holiday in the middle of the week on Wednesday. 

"If the rains persist on Monday and Tuesday, let the children have one more week," MP Ng’ang’a stated, expressing concern for the children's safety.

Ng’ang’a highlighted the preference for keeping children safe rather than risking their exposure to floods by reopening schools prematurely. 

She appealed to the Ministry of Education to postpone the school reopening date due to the prevailing rainy weather conditions.

During the distribution of bursaries worth Ksh45 million to approximately 10,000 secondary school students from her constituency, Ng’ang’a emphasised the potential danger of reopening schools amidst heavy rains and floods.

Accompanied by Kikuyu MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Ng’ang’a urged the government to delay the reopening date by at least one more week, citing inadequate planning for next week's reopening.

“It is better to have our children alive than telling them to go to school, then they are taken away by floods.”

“If you see the rainfall is set to continue, let the children stay home until we are sure they will be safe,” she stated.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang reiterated on Thursday that schools would reopen as scheduled despite the heavy rains and floods affecting critical infrastructure across the country. 

He assured that preparations were underway for the reopening.

As part of these preparations, the Ministry of Education's Director General, Elyas Abdi, issued a circular to regional directors of education, instructing them to assess the impact of the rain and floods and submit reports by Friday.

The Kenyan DAILY POST