NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 15 — President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday directed that all teachers and support staff be allowed to take the COVID vaccine initially ring fenced for groups most at risk due to age and other health factors.
Speaking during the release of 2020 KCPE results on Thursday, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha said this is aimed at ensuring that schools are safe ahead of third term.
“His Excellency the President directed that all teachers and support staff in our schools be allowed to take up the COVID-19 vaccination as part of the measures to ensure that our schools are safe from the virus,” reported Magoha who met the President before officially releasing the KCPE results.
Magoha insisted that third term will commence on May 10 as planned, for all classes expect Grade Four and Form 1, even as the ministry monitors the COVID-19 situation.
He said the ministry will subsequently upon release of exam results start preparations to mount the 2021 KCPE and KCSE examinations, which will be administered early next year.
“We are hopeful that we will open as scheduled although we continue monitoring the country’s COVID-19 situation and the schools’ preparedness to adhere to all Ministry of Health guidelines of managing the virus,” said Magoha.
On her part, Teachers Service Commission Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia urged teachers to take the COVID vaccine, including examiners set to travel for the marking of KCSE exams.
Macharia reported that so far a total of 92,246 teachers had taken the jab.
“We ask the teachers to refer to the list of the 622 COVID-19 vaccination centres on the TSC website for ease of reference because we want to have healthy teachers in class,” said Macharia.
She noted that the Commission had lost 15 primary school teachers to the pandemic.