Parents and guardians with pupils in primary schools have been advised to purchase facemasks from stores and outlets that have been certified by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) to fully guard pupils against Covid-19 while at school.
The principal Secretary for Physical Planning Mr Enosh Onyango who was leading a team of education officials to assess the condition and preparedness of schools as regards Covid-19 regretted that pupils from poor backgrounds were using facemasks improvised by local tailors and urged parents and guardians to purchase the items from only recognized outlets as advised by the ministry of education.
Some of the manufacturers and suppliers of the facemasks recommended by the ministry of education and that of industrialization, trade and enterprise development include, the National Industrial Training Authority NITA, Machakos Technical Training Institute for the blind, Sigalagala National Polytechnic, National Youth Service, Bedi Investments in Nakuru, and Ken knit limited.
The PS who visited ACK Holy Trinity Academy and Township Secondary school in Kericho as well as Kosisit public primary school and Kenegut girl’s high school in Anaimoi Constituency regretted that some learners were yet to report back to school and directed head teachers and County administrators to liaise with parents and have the missing learners resume classes.
He was accompanied by the new Kericho County Director of Education Rose Sagara and Kericho DCC Mr. Muyesu Ndarusi.
At Township secondary school 41 students had not reported while at Kenegut girl’s secondary school only one girl in form one who had recently delivered was yet to report. In addition, a form four student expected to deliver in April was already in school.
The PS at the same time advised schools with many students and pupils to convert halls or organize for tents in order to create more space as per ministry of health social distance recommendation for learners.
Onyango and the team were visiting schools following the presidential directive that all schools must achieve a 100 percent return by learners after the 9-month period when schools closed in March last year after the country recorded the first case of covid-19.
By Dominic Cheres
