Uhuru orders teachers to take Covid-19 jab
President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed all teachers and school support staff to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
According to Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha the decision to vaccinate all teachers will ensure schools are safe.
Magoha spoke on Thursday while releasing the the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results.
The directive by the President comes as schools prepare to reopen for the Third term on May 10, 2021 for all classes except Grade Four and Form One.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia noted that examiners who participated in the marking of the papers did not have an opportunity to go for the jab.
“Today, the President has allowed us to ensure that all teachers will be allowed to take the Covid-19 vaccine irrespective of their age. We’re appealing to all teachers therefore to ensure that they get the jab even as we reopen the schools.”
The 2020 KCPE exercise was facilitated by 28,467 centre managers; 28,711 supervisors; 72, 360 invigilators, and 4,756 examiners.
According to the Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday 92,246 teachers had received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
However, Macharia revealed that 15 primary teachers, 3 deputy headteachers and 8 head teachers had succumbed to Covid-19.