Africa/Kenya/28-06-2020/Author and Source: www.kbc.co.ke
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has acknowledged that social distancing in schools will be a major challenge ahead of the planned September re-opening.
Speaking in Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) on Wednesday, Magoha said the existing infrastructure in schools will not support such a recommendation given the learner population.
Magoha, however, said teachers will be required to report two weeks before reopening as part of the new measures to necessitate specialized training on management of COVID-19.
On students, the CS said the government will ensure schools get 24 million masks by September so that each child gets at least two.
“The government will procure 24 million face masks from government institutions of Rivatex, Kicotec and the National Youth Service (NYS) for school children ahead of September re-opening.”
“Once we agree on the prototype, then we will get the pricing so that when schools open in September, face masks will be in the institutions by mid-August as per the presidential directive,” Prof Magoha added.
“Every school will be required to also have thermal guns for temperature checks,” he said.
Africa/Kenya/31-05-2020/Author: Margaret Kalekye/Source: www.kbc.co.ke
The Ministry of Education has cautioned against the rush to reopen schools during this coronavirus pandemic.
Education Cabinet Secretary Friday hinted at pushing again the reopening of schools considering the rising number of coronavirus infections. Kenya has 1,618 cases, with 147 reported Thursday.
“You have seen the numbers this week and last week. Who would take their child to school? Let us agree that a child who is alive and well at home is better than a child who attempts an exam and dies there. If it means learners starting the year again so be it,” said the CS.
While speaking after receiving an interim report of the Covid-19 National Education Response Education committee, the CS maintained that the health and safety of learners and teachers remains a priority and not national exams.
Magoha says their primary focus is to come up with strong mitigation measures that will be required in schools once they reopen based on recommendations of the committee and health ministry.
Magoha will be tabling the proposals contained in the report before the national emergency response committee this weekend for further consultations.
” The Ministry recognises that the process of reopening schools will not be a switch-on-switch-off affair, but a rather carefully thought out and methodical process that must guarantee safety and health of all learners, teachers and staff”.
He said his office will be giving updates on the current situation regarding the education sector based on the advice of the Ministry of Health.
While citing the southern US which has reported an upsurge of cases after reopening the economy, Magoha said no number of deaths is comfortable and appealed for calm as the government monitors the situation.
The ministry had set June 4 as the tentative opening date, pending the advice of the committee and the Ministry of Health.
Magoha clarified that the goal of the nine-member committee set up last month to advise the government on the school calendar is the safety of learners.
“We have done various simulations. Let us remain sober and take into account the fact that there are places that have rushed to reopen and are dealing with an upsurge. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow. This not a Kenyan problem. We have seen what is happening in the world to learn from. Which is the comfortable number of deaths and the answer is zero” he posed.
He added “The goal of this committee is not about closing or reopening schools the goal was to ensure the children are safe. Their sole determination will remain on what is happening here and the Ministry of health”
Magoha took a swipe at parents for treating children as a burden. He reminded parents of their shared responsibility with schools to ensure children continue to learn.
“It is should be clear for all and sundry. This disease is here to stay, but for now, all stakeholders must be prepared. The abrogation of responsibility by parents must be revised. There is a lot to learn in life apart from mathematics. It must start with the family. It’s an opportune time to strengthen parenting” he said.
He assured that the school calendar will apply to all learners equally regardless of their statuses.
“From Mukuru to Muthaiga learners will have the same facilities and the same rights. The issue of transition and mega issue of CBC must go hand in hand”.
On the stand-off between parents and private schools, the CS called for negotiations bearing in mind that the schools need money to run or they will be forced to shut which is unfair.
“Private schools employs over 160,000 teachers. To keep the schools alive, we must have a humane face. Let us be reasonable the staff must be paid. If they collapse it is the government that will deal with the burden because the children will come to public schools”.
Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/our-focus-is-not-on-reopening-of-schools-says-cs-magoha/
Mount Kenya University has slashed school fees by 30% in a bid to cushion parents and guardians from the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
MKU Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Dr. Evans Mwiti said it would be unfair for the University to charge full fees yet students have not been attending face to face classes.
He said most parents have suffered due to the effects of the pandemic and would be hard pressed to raise fees.
Mwiti said the University in partnership with Telkom and Safaricom introduced online teaching in their May/August Semester to ensure that students complete their studies on time.
He said staff and student will get subsidized bundles to enable them access online learning information and materials.
Dr. Mwiti however said that students who will be unable to access online services will be accorded an opportunity to complete their studies once learning resumes.
The University board of directors Chairman Prof. Simon Gicharu has already established a six member team to implement online learning classes.
The team spearheaded by School of Education Dean Benson Njoroge will also explore the possibility of conducting online examination.
Meanwhile the University has extended the contracts of staff and lecturers that had lapsed or were due for expiry until the institution re-opens.
The Government in March ordered schools and universities to close as a precautionary measure against the spread of coronavirus.
Mount Kenya University reckons that the closure derailed contracts talks and in the process blocking the release of salaries of those whose employment terms had expired.
“Covid-19 has affected normal operations where internal processes are followed to validate the renewals and there is a standing policy that inhibits the directorate of finance from processing salaries for the affected staff whose contracts have expired.” Said a memo signed by MKU chairman and Founder Prof. Simon Gicharu.
“We direct the council to extend all contracts for all staff in and outside Kenya month by month until the university re-opens to enable the affected staff to renegotiate their contracts in the normal manner.” He said.
The pay directive will benefit affected workers at MKU’s eight campuses in Kenya, four open learning centres in Kisii, Kakamega, Kitale and Meru, MKU Rwanda, country offices in Uganda, Somalialand, Puntland, Burundi and Uganda.
In March, MKU and Japan-based Osaka City University jointly won a Ksh 450 million grant from Japan International Cooperation Agency for malaria research.
The funds will be deployed for research on malaria prevalence in Homa Bay.
Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/mku-reduces-school-fees-by-30pc-to-ease-burden-on-guardians/
Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha has appointed a 10 member committee to explore the best possible strategies of restoring normalcy in the basic education sector.
The committee which starts its work immediately will be headed by Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development Chairperson Dr Sarah Ruto.
The members are Indimuli Kahi, Chair Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association, Nicholas Gathemia, Chair Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association, Peter Ndoro, CEO Kenya Private Schools Association, Jane Mwangi of the Kenya Association for Independent International schools, Peter Sitienei, chair Kenya Special Schools Heads Association
The committee will also have six ex-official members which include Ruth Mugambi, Patrick Ochich, Gabriel Mathenge, Paul Kibet, Ann Gachoya and Dr Loice Ombajo.
The committee is mandated to advise the Cabinet Secretary on timing for the reopening of basic education institutions including boarding schools, review and reorganization of the school calendar.
Dr Ruto and her team will also advise on the health and safety measures to be put in place by all schools, in addition to identifying institutions adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and appropriate mitigation and recovery measures.
The government postponed the re-opening of schools for one month to give more time for the fight against the spread of the contagious disease.
Magoha last Thursday while appearing before the National Assembly Education and Research committee promised in two weeks to release possible scenarios in the school calendar in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the safety of learners is a priority even it means pushing the national exams and re-opening of schools which remains a concern for many to next year.
“If children are going to stay at home for one year, so be it, because they are safe there. The exams can be done next year,” Magoha told the MPs.
The terms of reference of the COVID-19 Education Response Committee are to:
Advise the Cabinet Secretary on the reopening of Basic Education institutions (Pre-Primary. Primary, Secondary Schools, Teacher Training Colleges and Adult Education Institutions.)
Review and reorganise the school calendar as part of the COVID-19 post-recovery strategy.
Advise the Cabinet Secretary on ways of onboarding students/pupils when the schools re-open.
Document all COVID-19 related matters, lessons learnt and recommendations for future preparedness.
Advise the Cabinet Secretary on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the demand for education by poor households and suggest mitigation measures.
Advise the Cabinet Secretary on the Health and Safety measures to be put in place for the pupils/students, teachers and entire school community.
Identify institutions that may have been adversely affected by COVID-19 and advise on mitigation and recovery measures.
Submit regular reports to the Cabinet Secretary on the implementation progress of COVID-19 related programmes.
Any other related duty that may be assigned by the Cabinet Secretary.
Fuente e Imagen: https://www.kbc.co.ke/schools-reopening-magoha-appoints-advisory-committee/
Balloons and confetti greeted year 3 students as they entered their classroom at Emu Plains Public School on Monday, enthusiastic to return to school grounds after five weeks of learning from home.
But it wasn’t the usual set-up: desks were arranged to allow for 1.5 metres between students, and teacher Kylie Hamersma supervised rather than taught lessons while students completed independent learning activities.
Most parents and students abided by the state government’s guidelines on the first day of its phased return to school plan, where 25 per cent of students attend school each day and complete one mode of remote learning.
Twenty-six per cent of secondary school students and 39 per cent of primary school students worked from inside school gates on Monday, which included students who were rostered to attend school as well as children of essential workers.
An average of 37 per cent of all public school students were on campus, which is more than the 15 to 17 per cent who showed up last week but far from the influx of students some principals were concerned would show up.
NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Monday said the Department of Education’s 2200 schools had been supplied with 550,000 hygiene products to prepare them for the return of students, including 20,000 rolls of toilet paper, 20,000 bars of soap and 40,000 bottles of hand sanitiser.
«The list is extensive and those supplies will continue to be rolled out across our school communities throughout this term,» she said. «Parents should have that reassurance knowing our schools are safe spaces, and we have prepared well for our students to go back to the classroom.»
Teacher Kylie Hamersma with her Year 3 students in their classroom at Emu Plains Public School.CREDIT:LOUISE KENNERLEY
NSW independent schools have crafted their own plans for the return of students to face-to-face teaching, with many reporting high attendance rates on Monday.
About 95 per cent of students who were rostered to attend Cranbrook School showed up, and 90 per cent of those scheduled for face-to-face learning at Trinity Grammar School went along.
«Numbers were at the upper end of our expectations, with almost all who were eligible to return to face-to-face [classes] attending, and more sent to school for remote learning supervision than before,» Trinity headmaster Tim Bowden said.
Only seven students were absent from Pymble Ladies College’s year 3 cohort, which was invited back on Monday, while the majority of rostered students attended MLC.
Meriden in Strathfield saw 99 per cent of year 12 and 95 per cent of year 7 back, with most of the senior school otherwise staying home. But about a quarter of the primary school students came to school, even though they were not rostered to attend.
North-west Sydney school Barker College, which invited all students back full-time from Monday after an extended school holiday, registered about a 90 per cent return rate.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Monday repeated her hope to have all school students back in public schools full-time by May 25 if the next two weeks progressed smoothly.
«That will be the new normal when it comes to education,» she said. «Your schools might be temporarily disrupted, but as far as the education system is concerned, we’d like to think that now that schools are back they will stay back for the duration of the pandemic.»
Source of the notice: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/students-stick-to-attendance-guidelines-as-schools-welcome-kids-back-20200511-p54rra.html
North America/United States/10-05-2020/Author and Source: www.bbc.com
US universities must hold hearings on campus sexual assault claims where alleged victims and attackers can be cross-examined, according to federal guidelines.
The mandate is part of a new set of US Department of Education rules on how places of learning must handle sexual misconduct cases.
The agency said the rules will ensure fairness to accusers and accused.
Critics said they will discourage victims from reporting attacks.
The new policy, issued on Wednesday following an 18-month review, limits what complaints private and public universities are obliged to investigate and raises the burden for holding a school liable for sexual assault.
They have until August to comply with the rules, which are a marked shift for addressing how universities enforce Title IX, the federal law barring discrimination in education based on gender.
The previous administration had sought to expand university responsibility for sexual misconduct on campuses under Title IX.
Under the Trump administration rules, the institutions are required to provide a live hearing and allow advisers to cross-question parties and witnesses involved – a practice discouraged by the previous administration.
In announcing the policy, Betsey DeVos, the education secretary, said: «Too many students have lost access to their education because their school inadequately responded when a student filed a complaint of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
«This new regulation requires schools to act in meaningful ways to support survivors of sexual misconduct, without sacrificing important safeguards to ensure a fair and transparent process.»
Some initial rules to limit schools’ liabilities and apply the requirement for hearings to secondary school pupils Ms DeVos proposed in November 2018 were scrapped amid dissent from victims’ groups.
However, advocacy groups said the final policy cut back on victims’ rights.
Fatima Graves of the National Women’s Law Center told the New York Times that «if this rule goes into effect, survivors will be denied their civil rights and will get the message loud and clear that there is no point in reporting assault».
The group will challenge the rules in court, Ms Graves said.
Source and Image: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52566997
Europe/France/03-05-2020/Author(a) and Source: www.bbc.com
France will make face masks compulsory on public transport and in secondary schools when it starts easing its coronavirus lockdown on 11 May, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said.
Schools will reopen gradually, starting with kindergartens and primary schools.
Pupils aged 11-15 will be expected to wear face masks.
It comes as hard-hit Spain also outlined its lockdown exit plan, aiming for what its prime minister called «a new normality» by the end of June.
How will France reopen?
Non-essential shops and markets will open their doors again from 11 May, but not bars and restaurants.
Stores will have the right to ask shoppers to wear masks, and should ensure they remain a metre (3ft) apart, the prime minister said.
In a relief to many, the French will be able to go outside again without a certificate confirming their intentions, and public gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed. Crèches will also reopen – but with a maximum of 10 children in each group.
France has suffered one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in Europe, along with the UK, Italy and Spain.
On Tuesday the number of people who have died with the virus rose by 367 to 23,660, the country’s health ministry said. Some 129,859 people have been infected.
Hospital admissions and the number of patients in intensive care have been falling, however, giving cause for cautious optimism.
Addressing parliament, Mr Philippe said the lockdown had saved an estimated 62,000 lives in France in a month, but that it was time to ease measures to avoid an economic collapse.
«We will have to learn to live with the virus,» he said, until a vaccine or effective treatment is available.
Image copyrightEPAImage captionFrench Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the country must take care to avoid a second deadly wave of Covid-19
He summed up France’s priorities as «protect, test, isolate».
Parliament backed his proposals after a debate by a large majority. Only 75 of almost 600 French MPs were allowed into the chamber for reasons of social distancing, with others voting by proxy.
Will the lockdown definitely be lifted?
Mr Philippe stressed that France must take strict precautions to avoid a second wave of coronavirus infections.
«The risk of a second wave, which would strike a weakened hospital fabric, which would impose a ‘re-confinement’, which would ruin the efforts and sacrifices made during these eight weeks, is a serious risk,» he said.
The lockdown will not be eased on 11 May if new cases don’t stay below 3,000 a day, he added.
France has seen about 2,162 new cases a day on average over the past two weeks.
The government has set a target to carry out at least 700,000 coronavirus tests per week from 11 May, the prime minister said, and will cover the cost of testing.
«Once a person has tested positive, we will begin to identify and test all those, symptomatic or not, who have had close contact with them. All these contact cases will be tested and will be asked to isolate themselves,» he said.
Mr Philippe said that where possible, people should keep working from home beyond 11 May.
French central planning is at its finest in a crisis
As the prime minister said, never in history – not in war, occupation or disease – has France had to confront such massive disruption. And now from the best fonctionnaire brains in the land comes an exit strategy that might just measure up to the disaster.
As ever in hyper-rational France, the plan is built round numbers, categories and systems.
The key figure is 3,000. That is what the government reckons will be the number of daily infections in the weeks ahead. By setting up local «brigades» of investigators to track the trail of infection, they reckon they will test 20 contacts per infection – so 420,000 tests a week, which is well within planned capacity.
Those found to have the virus will be expected to self-isolate, either at home with their families or in requisitioned hotels. And as for the rest of the population, life will very gradually resume.
Protection, testing, isolation. That is the system. Which is itself then conditioned by three imperatives: acceptance of the enduring nature of the virus, progressive implementation, and regional adaptation.
It always sounds a mouthful when a French technocrat expounds on a plan. But sometimes it may be exactly what the country needs.
Who will have to wear masks?
Addressing the shortage of masks in France, Mr Philippe said they would be widely available by 11 May. He called on all companies to provide staff with masks, and said the government would help small firms if necessary.
Masks will also be sold on the website of the French post office, and five million washable masks will be set aside each week for the most vulnerable.
Image copyrightAFP/GETTY IMAGESImage captionThe government has asked companies to provide French workers with masks
From 11 May everyone using public transport, including trams, trains or the metro, will have to wear a face mask.
In schools, France’s kindergarteners will not be expected to wear masks unless they start showing symptoms during the school day. Middle school children (aged 11-15) will be expected to, however, and the government will make masks available for students who can’t access them.
Classes will be no larger than 15 students, the prime minister said.
Elementary schools will begin opening from 11 May. Middle schools in districts with milder outbreaks may be allowed to reopen from 18 May, and high schools at the end of the month.
What will remain closed?
The prime minister noted that some parts of the country had suffered worse outbreaks than others, and said mayors and local authorities would be allowed to adapt the government’s strategy to their locality.
The framework to decide which areas need a stricter form of lockdown easing will be fixed on 7 May, he said.
Some areas will be categorised as «green» and others as «red», depending on their tally of new cases, testing capacity, and the pressure on local hospitals.
Nationwide restrictions that will remain in place include:
Funerals will continue to be limited to 20 attendees
Religious ceremonies cannot be organised before 2 June
Beaches, bars, cinemas and restaurants will remain closed
France’s top two football divisions, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2, will not resume this season
Source and Image: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52459030
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Meanwhile the University has extended the contracts of staff and lecturers that had lapsed or were due for expiry until the institution re-opens.
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