Thika Town MP Calls for Delay in School Reopening Due to Rainy Weather

THIKA—Thika Town Member of Parliament Alice Ng’ang’a has urged the Ministry of Education to delay the upcoming school term by one week due to severe rainy weather and flooding affecting parts of the country.

According to Kenya News Agency, the scheduled reopening next week poses a risk to students traveling back to school amidst the ongoing heavy rains. The MP expressed her concerns while distributing Sh45 million worth of bursaries to approximately 10,000 secondary school students in her constituency. She highlighted that the decision to reopen schools so soon after Labour Day, a national holiday, was not adequately planned.

Joining her call, Kikuyu MP and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah supported the proposal to push the opening date to the following week, emphasizing safety over adherence to the original schedule. “We would rather delay the reopening date than risk losing our children as a result of the ongoing flooding all over the country,” Ms. Ng’ang’a stated, questioning the logic behind resuming classes immediately after a holiday.

Despite these concerns, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang affirmed yesterday that schools are set to reopen as scheduled next week. He mentioned that a multi-agency team established by President William Ruto is prepared to address the challenges posed by the rains to ensure a smooth continuation of the learning process.

Parents in Thika have also voiced their apprehensions, with spokesperson Martin Njoroge pointing out the dangers posed by swollen rivers and streams that many children must cross to reach school. He noted that some schools, particularly those in flat areas, have been flooded, making the resumption of classes untenable under current conditions.

Echoing this sentiment, Thika resident Pauline Njeri stated, “If the rains continue and the rivers continue to swell, my children will continue staying at home. I can’t risk the lives of my children to this weather.” Parents have made it clear that they will not send their children to school next week unless the weather improves significantly.