Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has announced that Early Childhood Development (ECD), primary and secondary schools will resume for the term one of the 2024 academic calendar on January 8.

 In a statement, Machogu averred that the opening dates do not however apply for form one students as they will be required to report on January 15.

”It is instructive that Early Childhood Development, Primary and Secondary schools will open for the commencement   of the first term studies on January 8 2024, except form one student who will report to their new institutions on January 15,” read the statement.

Machogu has also directed all field officers attached to the Ministry of Education to report to their duty stations on all working days in order to assist parents with necessary preparations regarding the 2024 School Calendar.

He further called on parents to ensure safety of their learners in order to avert temptations that comes with the festive season among them drug abuse that he says have become prevalent in the country.

“I wish to urge parents and guardians top exercise their utmost parental responsibility to appropriately guide their children on ways to effectively navigate the negative temptations that come with the festive season,” added the statement.

The directive comes barely days after Jogoo house made changes on the CBC which have now reduced the number of lessons under the Competency Based Curriculum in line with recommendations of the Raphael Munavu led Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.

Grade 1 to 3 will have seven subjects down from the current nine, with the number of lessons capped at thirty-one down from thirty-five. The ministry collapsed Hygiene and Nutrition activities into Environmental Activities.

Upper Primary (Grade 4,5 and 6) will offer eight subjects down from ten with the number of lessons reduced from forty to thirty-five per week.