41 teachers died of Covid-19, says TSC

Details of vaccination for the nearly 500,000 teachers in public and private schools remained unclear yesterday even as the government rolled out the exercise.

It also emerged at least 41 teachers and three members of the Teachers Service Commission secretariat have died of Covid-19 since its outbreak in December 2019.

“Covid-19 has affected teaching profession. Vaccination gives teachers confidence and we shall be able to discharge our duties diligently,” TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said yesterday.

It was also not clear whether all the 230,000 teachers selected to take part in the administration of the KCPE and KCSE will be vaccinated ahead of the examinations.

Some of these teachers who will be invigilators and supervisors are below 50 years which in not within the group targeted for the jab.

Whether TSC's field officers and the secretariat staff will also be vaccinated also remained unclear.

What is, however, clear is that teachers will be free to accept or reject the jab.

It is also clear that some 15,000 teachers aged 58 years and above will get the injection starting Monday.

Dr Macharia said these teachers have already been identified.

“Initially, we had planned for those who are aged 58 years and above. However, we are happy they have expanded this to include those aged 50,” said Macharia.

Dr Willis Akhwale, the chairman of the Covid-19 taskforce for vaccine deployment, said teachers with underlying conditions but do not fall under the said age bracket will be vaccinated in the next round.

“We are expecting another batch of about one million vaccines and these teachers will be considered at that time,” said Dr Akhwale.

Also excluded from the jabs during the first round are those of 18 years and bellow, as they are yet to be registered for the vaccine. He said pregnant women are also not included in the vaccination exercise.

"Data had show most of those who die of Covid-19 are aged 60 years and above, followed by those aged 55 years and then 50 years,” said Dr Akhwale.

Dr Macharia, however, said a meeting is scheduled with Ministry's taskforce for vaccine deployment to negotiate further details.

“We are also hopeful all the teachers who will be invigilating and supervising examinations will have been vaccinated ahead of the start of the tests,” said Macharia.

The details emerged yesterday during the official launch of Covid-19 vaccination for teachers at the TSC head office, Nairobi attended by teachers unions and associations.

Kuppet secretary-general Akello Misori urged teachers to get vaccinated. He said teachers are the most vulnerability lot and requested that all them be vaccinated by August this year.

“This is the only way we can beat the pandemic and survive the turbulent period. We need to cover all teachers in the first phase of vaccination,” said Misori.

Knut assistant secretary-general Hesbon Otieno welcomed categorisation of teachers as front-line workers.