By Getrude Matayo
Learning at the start of the Sea Primary School and Tononoka High school in Mombasa county were allegedly shut down on Monday, October 19th after teachers in school tested positive for Covid-19.
Reports indicated that an estimated 15 teachers from both schools had allegedly tested positive for the virus. Four teachers at Star of the Sea Primary School including the primary and 11 teachers at Tononoka High School have tested positive for the deadly virus.
The teachers said they started showing symptoms of the disease and decided to take private tests. It remains unclear whether students have undergone any tests.
Mombasa County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo confirmed that the schools had been closed for two weeks to allow fumigation to take place.
“This is to inform you that all school operations have been temporality suspended with effect from today, Monday, October 19 to allow fumigation. The school normal operations will resume on Monday, November 2nd read a notice from the school.
This comes as Grade 4 and Class eight pupils across the country begin sitting for their national assessment tests today.
In Nandi County, the county Heath Executive Ruth Koech confirmed a case at Kabote SDA Secondary school in Nandi Hills and indicated that the patient had since been taken to an isolation center
Ruth Koech said that a team of experts was dispatched to the schools and test revealed a case at Kabote Secondary. The health teams are closely monitoring schools to ensure the situation is under control
Students at the affected schools will not be sitting for the tests, that ere being administered by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC)
The tests, which were postponed due to yesterday’s Mashujaa Day Celebrations are meant to assess learners’ levels of preparedness as learning resumes.
The Director of Public Health Dr. Patrick Amoth during an interactive session on Twitter stated that the government had already put up a surveillance system to monitor an increased case of Covid-19 after learning institutions reopened.
However, the government may not be able to roll out mass tests for all the students while in school due to the expenses.
According to KNEC, tests for Grade four pupils will last between 10 minutes and two hours. Timetable further shows that the Standard Eight test will last between 40 minutes and three hours.