In total, 345 cases of the deadly disease have been confirmed among teachers in the country.. Out of this, 209 teachers have since recovered from the virus, while 9 are still hospitalized.
TSC further revealed that 92 teachers are currently under the home based care programme. In terms of gender, 159 of the cases are male, while 186 are female teachers.
After the resumption of learning across the country on January 4, 2020, TSC expressed concerns regarding the safety of teachers and learners in schools. Macharia described teachers as super spreaders of the virus during this period.
According to TSC, there are 337,432 teachers in the country serving more than 30,000 public primary and post-primary school.
Macharia however assured that the commission will liaise with all relevant authorities to ensure safety for teachers and learners as the country battles the pandemic.
The TSC boss further revealed that the commission had negotiated for medical insurance cover with provider, Minet, so as to cover all teachers who may contract the virus.
“The commission’s field officers are also working with stakeholders in the health sector to provide psycho-social support to all teachers who may require the service,” Macharia stated.
The TSC CEO advised that teachers aged above 58 adhere to set MoH guidelines and work from home. She assured that the commission would not sack any teachers with underlying conditions for working from home.
Kenya has more than 25,000 teachers who are over 58 years.
Meanwhile, teachers have been classified among the front-line workers and are set to receive the Covid-19 vaccine expected in the country in February this year. Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi reported that other professionals who will be given priority are health workers and police officers, as well as older citizens aged 58 and above.
“When the vaccine arrives, which is projected to be around end of February, teachers will be among the first beneficiaries because they are now front line workers,” Dr Mwangangi said on Thursday.
See also; TSC Covid-19 medical scheme for teachers 2021; The latest TSC News
