All teachers will undergo mandatory covid-19 tests before resuming duties; as one of the schools’ reopening pre-requisites. This announcement has been made by education cabinet secretary Prof George Magoha.

The CS was Speaking during a meeting with principals of Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) at the Kenya School of Government in Embu County. According to Magoha teachers testing positive for the disease will be excused from duty.

“We must test all the teachers before they go to class. They are not many, but if a teacher is Covid-19 positive, he or she has to stay at home, ” Said CS Magoha.

“It is not his or her fault. I could be Covid-19 positive as I talk to you now and I am as strong as an eagle.” he added.

How the government intends to test the over 300,000 teachers would be a riddle considering the current limited testing capacity.

The CS has been sending mixed signals on the fate of schools’ reopening. His latest remark that schools shall only resume once the covid-19 curve flattens casts a doubt over any hopes of having kids back to school in September. July has seen a spike in numbers of covid-19 patients.

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OTHER PREPARATIONS

The President had earlier instructed the ministry of education to draft a new schools’ calendar by mid August.

As part of the ministry’s preparations, over 22 million masks are being produced to be given to learners; with each of them receiving two re-usable masks. The ministry officials have also been traversing the whole country  to check on facilities. A major concern has been raised on the limited facilities that may not accommodate social distancing; which is one of the measures fronted by the Ministry of education to fight the spread of the deadly disease. All schools should also have clean, running tap water to enable continuous hand washing.

Thermo guns will also be availed at all learning institutions to monitor temperatures of learners, teachers and other school workers.

The ministry has at the same time announced that teachers will report to schools two weeks in advance (before learners are re-admitted). This will enable the tutors to undergo training on how to handle the covid-19 pandemic.

It is highly expected that universities and other tertiary learning institutions will re-open first before basic learning institutions welcome learners back.

President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to give a State of the Nation address on Monday; with Kenyans sharply divided on whether current restrictions should be lifted or not.

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, has reaffirmed that teachers will receive their final salary increments at the end of this month under the 2012017-2021 CBA. According to TSC the money has been budgeted for and will be paid in full; irrespective the current status caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The commission’s Head of Corporate Affairs Beatrice Wababu has underscored the key role performed by teachers.

“The fourth phase of CBA implementation comes (will be implemented) at the end of this month (July, 2020.” She confirms.

The current CBA that was signed in 2017 between TSC and teachers’ unions saw tutors receive salary increments that were spread for a period of four years. Teachers in lower cadres, though, received their pay in two phases.

There were fears that the government may consider suspending the salary increments since the economy is struggling as a result of the Covid-19 sutdown.

In the neighbouring Country, Uganda, the Covid-19 pandemic, floods and landslides have forced government to push the planned pay rise for civil servants to 2023.

“Government is ready to increase the pay for its servants but this will be in phased manner. It is going to release only Shs50b in the 2020/2021 Budget for pay rise and all this will go to staff in public universities. Other public servants will get theirs in 2022 and 2023, so they should be patient,” Ms Catherine Bitarakwate, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, told local journalists last week.

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NEW SALARIES

Close to 100,000 primary school teachers will be be awarded a pay rise, effective July, 2020. The teachers, who are all in Grade B5, previously called P1, will automatically be upgraded to the higher Grade C1. But for one to qualify for the promotions, they must have been in the TSC payroll before July, 2017.

About 5,000 Diploma teachers in secondary schools in grade C1 (Formerly J) will also receive a pay hike.

Teachers in these lower grades received their pay hike in two phases.

The highest paid teachers are Chief principals at T-Scale 15 who will now earn between Sh131,380- Sh157,656 per month. Senior principals on their part are set to pocket between Sh118,242 and 121,890 after implementation of the salary reviews.

Click here to read full details on the new salary scales for teachers effective July 1, 2020.