HII TUMEISHA SOTE: UHURU ISSUES A NEW DIRECTIVE AFFECTING KENYANS

President Uhuru Kenyatta says the four academic terms will allow for schools to recover time lost during Covid-19 break. [File, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that 2022 will have four academic terms to cover for time lost during schools Covid-19 break.

Schools reopened in January 2021 after a nine-month disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. President Kenyatta announced closure of the learning centres in mid-March 2020 after Kenya registered its first Covid-19 case.

In his New Year address on Friday, December 31, the president said 2022 will have two sets of KCPE and KCSE exams written in March and November respectively.

The 2021 candidate class will sit the national tests in March and April 2022, while the 2022 exam class will sit KCPE and KCSE tests in November and December 2022.

Learners in primary and secondary schools are expected to open for Term Three of 2021 on January 3, 2022.

“To our learners, we appreciate that, just like in the year 2021, the 2022 academic calendar will similarly be long and challenging. However, let 2022 be a year of destiny, of dreams becoming reality, and for laying the foundation stones for a glorious future,” said the Head of State.

“In that regard, I take this early opportunity to wish all our examination candidates all the best in this year’s examinations.”

The 2021 KCPE exams will start on Monday, March 7, 2022 and end on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.

The 2021 KCSE exams will begin on Monday, February 28, 2022 and end on Friday, April 1, 2022.

The dates for the 2022 KCPE and KCSE tests are yet to be released, though the exams will be taken in November and December 2022.

Covid-19

In his speech, Uhuru said he was pleased that Kenya has hit the 10 million Covid-19 vaccination target, which he had set in June 2021.

The president said that his government aims to vaccinate 30 million Kenyans by December 2022.

Uhuru encouraged Kenyans to receive the Covid-19 jab, announcing that a rollout for booster shots will start in January 2022.

The president said the government will give priority to healthcare workers, teachers, security personnel, and citizens aged 50 years and above in the booster shots rollout.

Politics

President Kenyatta urged Kenyans to exercise political tolerance and maturity as the country enters the general election year.

“We must choose leadership over politics. Leadership is about vision while politics is about positions. Leadership is about the next generation, whereas politics is concerned merely with the next election. Indeed, our obsession with politics has only slowed down the realisation of our potential as a people,” he said.

Uhuru said his peace pact with Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga in March 2018 took Kenya the right economic direction.

“When we chose the path of peace and reconciliation over that of political strife, and senseless competition, we gave the economy a chance to grow,” he said.

“Therefore, as we begin the New Year, we must remember that a leader takes the bold path and blazes a trail; while a politician takes the popular path that pleases everyone, but which takes them nowhere. If we are to become a ‘break-out-nation’, we must follow the brave.”

Sourced from Kenyan news