40
The Teacher
PARTNERSHIP- BASED PLATFORM TO SUPPORT TRAINING OF
TEACHERS AND
PRINCIPALS :
BENTA OPANDE
The creativity and resiliency of teachers is one of the reasons that the Kenya Women Teachers Association is proud of the teaching fraternity in Kenya .
Our teachers do more than just teach . Students often form bonds with teachers and rely on this trust to ask for advice and guidance , especially during times of personal or communal crisis . As has been demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic , our teaching fraternity has scored highly both in and out of the classroom
Both teachers and students have experienced isolation , uncertainty , grief , and loss during this time . And as the government through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health work with other education stakeholders in recovering learning loss and keeping our schools open , we stand in solidarity with teachers in the quest for safer and healthier working conditions .
Championing the welfare of teachers , Kewota continues to play its role in empowering our teachers by giving them a voice , continually calling for safe spaces where teachers can work to develop our children is at the top of our goal .
A few critical issues jump out regarding teacher preparedness as our schools grapple with the health challenge . For instance , despite the ongoing national roll-out of the vaccination exercise , we are cognizant of the fact that children under the age of 12 years cannot be vaccinated . In light of the impending fourth wave of infections , we urge for continuous discussions regarding the health protocols around teachers and staff who are more engaged with this age group in both primary schools and early childhood education
Ensuring all teachers get their double vaccination doses is imperative but above all we must maintain the health and safety of all teaching and non-teaching staff and environments . To make school environments safe , additional health and hygiene measures should be implemented .
In Nairobi ’ s primary schools for example , the availability of waterless hand sanitizer was associated with reduced prevalence of water borne diseases . Children were more likely to clean their hands after using the toilet if hand sanitizer was available
EdSource Quarterly | Oct-Dec l 2021