TSC’s 110,000 teachers on vaccine priority list

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has released a list of 110,000 teachers who will be given first priority for the Covid-19 vaccine.

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 Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said of these, 92,850 teach in public schools and within this group, 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.