Kenya postpones schools reopening over flooding

NAIROBI, Kenya | Xinhua | Kenya has postponed by a week the scheduled schools reopening to May 6 due to devastating flooding which is being experienced across the country.

Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu said on Monday that they have received data that some schools had been adversely affected by the ongoing flooding.

Machogu said sending students and staff to the affected schools would be putting their lives at risk, hence it was decided to postpone the reopening.

“The devastating effects of the rains in some of the schools are so severe that it will be imprudent to risk the lives of learners and staff before water-tight measures are put in place to ensure adequate safety of all affected school communities,” he said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

As schools were scheduled to reopen on Monday, Machogu said the ministry would work with relevant agencies and stakeholders to put in place measures to mitigate the adverse effects of the rains.

He added that they will also provide regular updates on all developments related to the education sector.

Heavy rains have rendered most roads impassable while properties including homes, schools and businesses were destroyed in several counties in the areas receiving above-average rainfall.

This came as the Meteorological Department warned of heavier rains in the coming days with over 100 people reported dead so far and scores of others injured or missing.