Schools in Kenya have been directed by the government to either refund the school fees paid for the current academic year to parents or allocate it for the next year.
The country’s Education Minister, George Magoha, revealed this decision in response to concerns raised following his announcement on Tuesday, July 7, that primary and secondary schools would remain closed until 2021 due to the increasing number of Coronavirus cases in the country.
He declared the current school calendar null and void due to the impact of COVID-19, leading to all students having to repeat the academic year as schools had shut down in mid-March, three months into the school calendar.
While some parents expressed discontent with the government’s decision to have their children repeat a year, the country’s parents’ association noted that online classes served as a constructive way to keep students engaged.
With over 8,000 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and at least 164 deaths, the East African country continues to grapple with the pandemic.