No COVID-19 test for teachers and learners

There will be no mandatory testing for teachers and learners before the reopening of schools despite the surge in Covid-19 cases in rural counties. 

As teachers’ unions yesterday urged the government to release the school calendar, Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang said reopening plans were progressing well but the ministry would not supply testing kits because it would be too expensive.

“We need over 17 million testing kits. We have over 15 million pupils in primary Schools, 160,000 in teachers training colleges and technical institutions, and over 400,000 teachers. It will be impossible to take all of them through physical testing, but normal screening using a thermo-gun will be done daily,” said Dr Kipsang in Narok.

He said most teacher training colleges had put in place crucial Covid-19 infrastructure before the resumption of classes. “I have been in Narok TTC three times in one month and I am happy to see that the administrators have ensured there is a steady supply of water in all buildings,” said Dr Kipsang. “They must also pair with a medical institution in their locality in case of any emergency for speedy containment measures.”