In response to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive that learning be suspended in all schools, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Education has now directed all schools to ferry their students home using their school buses.

In a circular Monday morning, Cabinet Secretary Prof. George Magoha said the directive affects buses belonging to boarding and day schools, and instructed schools to make arrangements to use the school buses to transport learners to their homes or nearest designated drop-off points which must be within proximate distance to be picked by their parents.

“Schools should organize with NTSA licensed public transport providers to pick learners from schools. The vehicles must not carry any other passenger(s) en route,” the circular reads.

Schools are also required to liaise with public service vehicles to ensure that matatus boarded by their students are sanitized in accordance with the Ministry of Health recommendations.

Parents who can pick their children from school can also do so following communication from the relevant institutional heads and school principals/headteachers.

As part of preventive efforts against COVID-19, the ministry has urged schools to sensitise learners on maintenance hygiene while en route and at home.