“We Lack Capacity To Test Teachers Ahead Of Schools Re-Opening”- MoH

The Ministry of Health has responded to the education CS George Magoha on the test of all teachers for COVID-19 before schools can resume saying it will be a mission impossible.

The Ministry of Health noted that it would be impossible to test 300,000 teachers for COVID-19 before September 2020 to enable the re-opening of schools with the Health CAS Rashid Aman has said the cost of testing has gone up because of challenges being experienced in the supply of the reagents.

The bid to test teachers for COVID-19 has come following the pressure to reopen schools in the midst of a crisis with Education CS George Magoha saying the test should be conducted two weeks before schools reopen resumed in September and another test in 14 days after the September reopening.

CS Magoha had said the test for COVID-19 would be a continuous process once the students and pupils resumed school which would cost the country billions as teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission alone are estimated to be 317,069 while the learners are millions.

Education CS Magoha directed that all school admins work with the Ministry to ensure a steady supply of water in all buildings, as many handwashing points as possible to ensure high hygiene standards with the hindrance remaining the mass testing for COVID-19 among the teachers and the learners.

“We must say this with regards to the context of timing and when education resumes. Schools are likely to resume early next year and testing such a huge number would be challenging to us,” Health CAS Rashid Aman said.

CS Magoha who noted that the reopening of schools is determined by the flattening of the curve is expected to engage in talks to see whether candidates will reopen in September 2020

“The position of the parents has been very firm that we don’t open until the curve is flattened and the parents are the major shareholders,” he said, citing a similar position from the Council of Governors.

The total case load now in the country is 7,886 out of 189,263 samples tested so far. All the positive cases except 7, are Kenyans. 217 are males, and 92 females; Dr. Rashid Aman, CAS Health. #KomeshaCorona pic.twitter.com/8TK9OKBZLd

— Ministry of Health (@MOH_Kenya) July 5, 2020

Kenya has registered 7,886 COVID-19 cases as of 5th July 2020 with 160 deaths since the first case was reported on March 13th, 2020.

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