All teachers to get COVID-19 vaccine irrespective of their age: TSC

All teachers in the country will now receive the COVID-19 vaccine irrespective of their age, this is according to Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia.

Ms. Macharia spoke on Thursday at the Kenya National Examination Council headquarters during the release of the 2020 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results.

According to the TSC boss, examiners who participated in the marking of the papers did not have an opportunity to go for the jab hence will now be allowed to courtesy of a directive issued by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Ms. Macharia also revealed that the 2020 KCPE exercise was facilitated by 28,467 centre managers; 28,711 supervisors; 72, 360 invigilators, and 4,756 examiners.

“I commend all the 92,246 teachers who, by yesterday (Wednesday), had taken the jab. And I know this figure will rise as we go,” she said.

“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.”

Ms. Macharia added: “I wish to appeal and encourage examiners who will be travelling for the marking exercise of the KCSE next week to ensure that they are vaccinated before their travel to the city.”

The TSC CEO further revealed that 15 primary teachers, 3 deputy head teachers and 8 head teachers had lost their coronavirus pandemic.

She added that medical health insurance providers had hence been directed to cover all teachers against COVID-19 related ailments and they complied.

Ms. Macharia also stated that all the 15,000 teachers aged 58 years and above in the country had been directed to work from home, despite a majority of them insisting to attend to their normal duties in a bid to “help our learners who lost a lot of time.”

KNEC CEO Dr. Mercy Karogo said 1,179,192 pupils sat for the KCPE exams this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic challenges.