KNUT asks TSC to review staffing norm in schools before re-opening » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 16 – Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to review the staffing norms in order to address the changing dynamics in the education sector occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

The union’s Secretary General Wilson Sossion challenged TSC boss Nancy Macharia to ensure that adjustments in staff in both primary and secondary schools, teachers training colleges and professional development officers are made prior to re-opening.

Schools in Kenya were closed in March when the first case of coronavirus was detected.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has since directed the Ministry of Education to issue a new calender by mid-August, in time for re-opening in September under COVID-19 protocols.

In the primary level, Sossion said it would be unwise to proceed with the existing staff norm that prescribes that one teacher per class of 50 children plus 2.5 of the number of classes in a Sub-County.

“This is inconsistent with the COVID-19 reality of social distancing protocol and related mitigation measures hence need to be reviewed,” he said.

In secondary schools, Sossion said, the current teaching load per teacher of 27 lessons per week would have to change depending on the availability of teachers in each school and how classrooms will be configured in the wake of the COVID-19 situation.

COVID-19 cases had risen to 3,860 with 105 deaths Tuesday.

For the teacher training colleges and teacher professional development officers, Sossion noted that a similar adjustment would have to be made in order to ensure that they are in tandem with Ministry of Health protocols on preventing the spread of the virus.

Sossion further tasked the teachers’ employer to ensure that prior to the re-opening of the learning institutions, teachers should be taken through an induction programme on COVID-19.

“The commission needs to start, in earnest, preparing teachers emotionally, psychologically and professionally on how to deal with COVID-19 situation and the possible stigmatized teaching environment that is created by the pandemic,” he said.