Ugandan students return after Kenya closes schools

Ugandan children studying in various public schools in Kenya have returned home following the closure of schools due to coronavirus.
The closure follows a directive by Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta after a third victim of the deadly virus was detected in the neighboring country on Sunday.
Daily Monitor on Monday established that most schools that were closed, especially in Busia-Kenya, had a significant enrolment of Ugandan children.
Some Ugandan parents allegedly prefer having their children attend early childhood education in Kenya because of its ‘better teaching and a well-laid out curriculum’.
St Mary’s Nursery and Primary School in Busia-Kenya with more than 120 Ugandan nursery children remained closed, with few teachers seen emerging from a meeting.
Ms Roselyn Opio, a senior teacher at the school, said they had closed the school and told parents to stay with their children at home.
“We have closed the school and suspended examinations that were due to begin following a presidential directive,” Ms Opio said.
She added that they are waiting for further communication from the government.
At St Theresa Nursery and Primary School, the situation was not any different as all the pupils had been sent home apart from some few who were waiting for their parents to pick them up.
Ms Sylvia Onyango, a parent with three children at Lukoni Primary School in Busia-Kenya, said she was surprised to see her children returning home yet she had just completed paying their school fees.
Mr Victor Okumu, another parent, however, thinks the closure of schools was good following the outbreak of coronavirus in Kenya.
“This morning, a bus that usually picks my daughter did not come but the headmistress called and told me they had closed,” he said.
Solomon Onyango, a pupil at Lukoni Boys’ Primary School, said he expects part of his fees to be refunded. “My mother struggles to pay our fees and I am praying that part of it is refunded,” he said.

Dip in business
Cases of coronavirus cases in Kenya have left boda boda riders at Busia and Malaba also counting losses. Mr Hassan Mukose said every morning, he used to get at least five parents requesting him to transport their children to Kenya and earned not less than Shs20,000, but since Monday, business has been low.
Mr Mwesigwa, another boda boda rider along Customs Road in Busia Town, said the number of Ugandans crossing into Kenya has reduced.
“On a daily basis, I have been having more than 10 customers that I transport across the border to Kenya but today [Tuesday] I have had none,” he said.