Education Cs Fred Matiangi [Photo/Citizen TV]Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i on Tuesday announced new dates in which schools will be opened in 2018.
In a circular issued to learning, institutions stated that primary and secondary schools will open for the first term on January 2 and close on April 6.He further disclosed that all primary school students would close for the December holidays on Wednesday, October 25th while Form 1, 2 and 3 students will go on holiday on October 24th.The change comes only less than 10 days before the country descends into repeat presidential poll scheduled for October 26.Last month, the Education CS announced changes in the national examination calendar ahead of the Presidential election set for October 26.This came as he received constant pressure from the opposition NASA outfit to make changes in the exam calendar to allow the repeat presidential poll to take place since some schools are to be used as polling stations.However, in less than two weeks later, NASA presidential candidate Raila Odinga pulled out of the presidential poll accusing IEBC of not ready to give Kenyans a free, fair and credible election.The NASA outfit has since descended on streets to push for reforms in the electoral body before the election is conducted as ordered by the supreme court .Dr Matiang'i stated that the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Home Science paper that was scheduled for October 26th, has been moved to October 30thHe further directed that the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) candidates would start their examination on Tuesday, October 31st and end on November 2nd.According to the Education CS, the change of the examination dates was necessitated by the repeat presidential poll.