The government though the Ministry of Education has established comprehensive medical insurance cover for all teachers who may contract Covid-19 in the line of duty, Government Spokesperson, Cyrus Oguna has said.
He said the government was hopeful that no teacher would contract Covid-19 but at the same time said it was aware that there were possibilities because the tutors were exposed given the number of children they were interacting with.
He added that the government had disbursed Sh19.5 billion shilling to schools to help the institutions run smoothly while at the same time ensuring that they adhere to the World Health Organisation and the Ministry of Health Covid-19 protection protocols.
“Secondary schools got Sh14.9 of the fund while primary schools were allocated Sh4.6 billion,” said Oguna when he addressed the media at a press conference at the Lake Nakuru National park.
The government spokesperson who was accompanied by Nakuru County Commissioner, Erastus Mbui and senior officials from the Kenya Wildlife Service said 17,000 teachers had been employed to bridge the gap that might be left by the elderly ones.
Elderly teachers aged 58 years and above were advised to stay away from schools due to their vulnerability to the corona virus.
Oguna said the newly recruited teachers included 5,000 who were hired on permanent and pensionable times and another 12,000 on internship.
“The teacher recruitment and bigger budgetary allocations to schools was to ensure that children get quality education because they are our future human resource,” he said.
He said to ensure 100 per cent resumption of learning and compliance to COVID-19 prevention protacals, all Permanent secretaries were tasked to visit schools and assess them.
“There were 13 teams visiting schools countrywide and I was in one of them, yesterday I was in North Rift with my team and were glad with the preparedness,” he said.
He added that most of the schools had registered close to 100 per cent of their populations with a few schools in Baringo having been marooned by the swelling lakes.
“Learners from the affected schools have been placed elsewhere with some of the communities starting temporary schools for their children,” said Oguna.
He said the 13 teams headed by PSs will give their reports tomorrow, Friday.
Mbui said plans are underway to trace boys and girls who failed to report back to school with the aim of enrolling them again.