President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed all teachers to get vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of May reopening.
The President said all teachers should get vaccinated irrespective of their age.
Uhuru said this after meeting Education CS George Magoha at state house Nairobi.
Teachers just like health workers and security officers are classified under high risk frontline workers.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia also asked teachers taking part in marking of KCSE exams to get vaccinated before travelling to Nairobi for the exercise.
She said teachers should visit the 622 vaccine centres to get vaccinated.
So far roughly 70,000 teachers have been vaccinated.
Macharia announced that at least 15 primary school teachers have died since the Covid-19 pandemic struck the country in March 2020.
“We have lost three deputy head teachers and eight head teachers to the pandemic,” she said.
Macharia said going forward, the commission has come up with measures to protect all teachers from the virus.
“First we instructed our medical health insurance provider to cover all teachers against Covid-related ailments which they have since complied with,” Macharia said.
Macharia congratulated teachers for braving the pandemic to ensure the national exams are a success.
Last month the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) released data of teachers who will get vaccinated against Covid-19 by June 2021.
Already a list of 110,000 teachers who will be given first priority for the Covid-19 vaccine is out.
The teachers’ employer said these are staff who are 50 years and above and fall under the first group lined up for the vaccination.
Macharia said out of the 110,000 teachers 92,850 teach in public schools and within age 50 year age bracket, 15,000 are 58 years and above.
Another 16,500 teachers who fall under the high risk category teach in private and international schools.
Macharia released data after monitoring the ongoing KCSE examinations in the city.
During the launch of teachers’ mass vaccination, Willis Akhwale, chairman of the Covid-19 task force for vaccine deployment, had said that teachers with underlying medical conditions but who do not fall under the said age bracket will be vaccinated in the next round when the second shipment arrive.
“We are expecting to receive another batch of vaccines and those teachers will be considered then,” said Akhwale.
Macharia said the commission was working to have all teachers vaccinated.
“We shall continue collaborating with the Ministry of Health to ensure that, gradually, all teachers receive the jab,” said the TSC boss.
She said teachers are a vulnerable group as they come into contact with learners who do not show symptoms even when they are infected.
The TSC boss said the move to open the age bracket for teachers will go a long way in curbing infections among tutors.
There are some 330,671 teachers working in public schools and 158,000 in private institutions.
Education Cabinet Secretary, George Magoha, officially released KCPE 2020 results today at Mtihani house at Knec headquarters in Nairobi.
Magoha released results after meeting president Uhuru Kenyatta at State house.
Female candidates from public schools topped the KCPE 2020 exam.
Faith Mumo emerged top with 433 marks.
The top four students were from public schools.
The top candidate, Mumo Faith Kawii scored 433 compared to 440 marks scored by the best 2019 candidate.
Others who performed well are Wesonga Yuvet Nanzala and Murithii Angel Gakenia who tied with 432 marks, followed by Samuel Wanyonyi 431, Castro William 431, Maureen Tarus 431, Abiud Kipkurui 430, Margaret Mwangi 430, Dennis Omondi 429, Joyce Nkatha 429.
Girls performed slightly better in English, Kiswahili and Kenyan Sign Language.
A total of 1,181,725 registered for the exam but only 1,179,182 candidates sat for the KCPE exams this year after the school calendar 2020 was disrupted by Covid-19
A total of 2,543 candidates who registered for the KCPE exam did not sit the test, KNEC CEO Mercy Karogo said during release of results.
A total of 12,000 candidates were absent during exams.
Among 3,500 girls in primary school who were found to be pregnant, more than 200 candidates sat for the exam.
The KCPE exams were delayed as a result of Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 4,000 examiners were contracted to mark Insha and Composition papers. This represnt seventy percent of total examiners contracted by Knec to mark the KCPE exams.
PS Julius Jwan said that arrangements are being made to ensure teachers involved in KCSE marking exercise get to marking centres safely.
Magoha asked parents take good care of their children to ensure they take up their form 1 places in July.