Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Hon. Wilson Sossion on Wednesday 18th said that more than 30 teachers have succumbed to Covid-19 in the last four9 weeks.
“There are over 30 COVID-19 deaths of teachers in the last 4 weeks. How can the government provide desks and other fundings but not masks for learners? government must invest in schools in January. If the government does not prepare, schools will be turned into death traps,” Wilson Sossion warned in an exclusive interview.
Otoa Sifuna an Education Expert noted that teachers are treated carelessly yet they are the front line workers. “Teachers are now content for pre-primary, primary and front line workers, yet they are treated very casually. We are now experimenting with our teachers. Right now our priority is on Building Bridges Initiative yet people are dying,” He said.
A lot of learners have also been reported to have contracted the virus. When all learners resume schools, teachers who will be handling over 15 million learners will join medics as front line workers.
“We have an incompetent CS for health and education; CS Magoha can do a cabinet memorandum seeking repriotization of funding and so can CS Kagwe. Parliament has approved all budgets, the next step for Parliament should be to impeach Cabinet Secretaries,” said Gladys Boss the woman representative of Uasin Gishu said.She
She expressed her shock that CS Magoha ordered masks at Rivatex months ago but when schools opened, there were no masks.
Wilson Sossion told the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to style up in terms of labour relations noting that the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) should be left to operate freely. “A strong union reflects and mirrors a strong education system.” He said.
