TSC releases list of teachers prioritized in Covid-19 vaccination exercise

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has finally released data of teachers who will get vaccinated against Covid-19 by June 2021.

Already a list of 110,000 teachers who will be given first priority for the Covid-19 vaccine is out.

The teachers’ employer said these are staff who are 50 years and above and fall under the first group lined up for the vaccination.

TSC) CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia on Monday urged teachers participating in the KCPE and KCSE marking exercise to take the Covid-19 vaccine jab when they enter Nairobi county for the exercise.

Macharia said at Aquinas High School, Nairobi, before the start of KCSE Mathematics Paper 1 exam in Nairobi.

Knec has already issued the transport modalities for teachers who will participate in the marking exercise.

Teachers will be transported from their locality to Nairobi starting today Tuesday for the marking exercise.

Macharia said out of the 110,000 teachers 92,850 teach in public schools and within age 50 year age bracket, 15,000 are 58 years and above.

Another 16,500 teachers who fall under the high risk category teach in private and international schools.

Macharia released data after monitoring the ongoing KCSE examinations in the city.

During the launch of teachers’ mass vaccination, Willis Akhwale, chairman of the Covid-19 task force for vaccine deployment, had said that teachers with underlying medical conditions but who do not fall under the said age bracket will be vaccinated in the next round.

“We are expecting to receive another batch of about one million vaccines and those teachers will be considered then,” said Akhwale. 

Macharia said the commission was working to have all teachers vaccinated.

“We shall continue collaborating with the Ministry of Health to ensure that, gradually, all teachers receive the jab,” said the TSC boss.

She said teachers are a vulnerable group as they come into contact with learners who do not show symptoms even when they are infected.

Speaking yesterday, the TSC boss said the move to open the age bracket for teachers will go a long way in curbing infections among tutors.

There are some 330,671 teachers working in public schools and 158,000 in private institutions.