President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Education to postpone school reopening dates indefinitely.
This follows the unprecedented floods and landslides that have killed over 210 people and displaced thousands.
“The Ministry of Education is directed to postpone the dates of re-opening of all schools in the country for the second term until further notice” the Head of State said.
BREAKING: President William Ruto directs the Ministry of Education to postpone re-opening of schools for the second term indefinitely.#KBCniYetu pic.twitter.com/qDL8BvS4Dh
— KBC Channel1 News (@KBCChannel1) May 3, 2024
The President made the announcement Friday afternoon during a special address to the nation during which he regretted the devastation caused by the ongoing heavy rains.
“The weight of tragic events in recent weeks has tested our nation’s resilience in the wake of unprecedented challenges. The devastating floods have claimed 210 lives as of today, caused injuries to many more and wreaked havoc on property, infrastructure and livelihoods”.
The President painted a dire situation, noting that the situation is expected to escalate after the meteorological department forecasted that the rains will persist and increase both in duration and intensity for the rest of this month and possibly after.
“The Kenya Meteorological Department and the IGAD Climate Prediction Applications Centre, have issued a stark warning: Kenya may face its first-ever cyclone. This Cyclone, named Hidaya, that could hit anytime now is predicted to cause torrential rain, strong winds and powerful and dangerous waves, which could potentially disrupt marine activities in the Indian Ocean and settlements along the Kenyan coast” he added.
To support disaster response and mitigation efforts across the country, the Treasury has been directed to provide adequate resources and work with other development partners to provide for the purchase and supply of food, medical and other non-food items.
