Government To Make 26 Million Masks For Kenyan Schools

By Nsunjo Erica

Kenya’s Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha on Wednesday said the government would make 26 million face masks for learners ahead of the reopening of schools.

According to the Ministry of Education, the masks by the government are to be made by Rivatex East Africa, these masks are to be sold at 35 shillings apiece.

Cabinet Secretary George Magoha added that children from vulnerable backgrounds will be getting these masks for free as soon as schools finally reopen.

“We will prioritize the most vulnerable children. The ministry will ensure every school has running water and hand sanitizer,” Prof Magoha said during the ground-breaking ceremony of Eliud Kipchoge library at Kapsisiywa Secondary School, Nandi County.

On Thursday, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched the 1.9 billion shilling school furniture project on, the project will see Jua Kali Artisans supply 650,000 locally assembled desks for public schools ahead of reopening.

The Ministry of Education said some 622,357 lockers and chairs would be supplied to 5,136 public primary schools and 5,254 secondary schools before they reopen.

CS for Education Prof Magoha directed regional and county education directors to ensure the desks, chairs, and lockers are supplied to schools by October 19.

Earlier this week, CS George Magoha said that a mega stakeholder meeting on schools’ reopening is slated on or before 25th September and will interrogate proposals from the smaller stakeholders before a decision is made.

In July, the Education Ministry announced that schools will not reopen until next year. Magoha, however, remarked that the decision is not cast on stone and could change depending on the virus trends.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to issue new guidelines by the end of this month as part of reopening the economy that has slowed down since March when the first Covid-19 case was recorded.

January had been set for the reopening date, provided the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic has passed. The Kenya Private Schools Association also wants the KCPE and KCSE exams to be conducted by December.