TSC Teachers Over 58 Years To Work From Home

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has asked all teachers who fall under the high-risk age of 58 and above to work from home as a measure to reduce their high chances of contracting the COVID-19 virus.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) data shows that the country has at least 50,000 teachers aged 55 years or above and these must be protected by their employers.

Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said “They can be utilized in offering critical duties such as preparing schemes of work, teaching aids and marking, among others. We assure them of the safety of their jobs,”

According to Knut secretary-general Wilson Sossiom, some of these teachers already have underlying conditions and the employer must conduct a serious audit to ascertain the exact number and how they can be helped.

Wilson Sossion added that also younger teachers with pre-existing conditions and at higher risk of contracting Covid-19 should also be asked to work from home.

TSC also announced that all Covid-19 ailments are fully covered under the teachers’ medical scheme. “The commission has negotiated with the teachers’ medical provider, for teachers to be covered for all Covid-19 related illnesses,” said Macharia.

Meanwhile, according to the association of secondary school headteachers in Kenya, at least 13 principals have died as a result of Covid-19 since the phased reopening of schools.

The association is now worried about their members dying in masse as they are more in contact with the students than their parents. It is not clear whether some of the teachers got the virus from the students.

Since the reopening of schools, various cases of both students and teachers getting infected have been on the rise. So far, an 18-year-old female student from a school in Mumias has been confirmed dead as a result of Covid-19.

Additionally, on November 17th, 925 people tested positive for the virus, from a sample size of 5,559 tested in 24 hours, bringing to 71,729 the number of confirmed positive cases in Kenya.  From the cases 893 are Kenyans and 32 are foreigners.