Prevention

Kenya: CS Magoha: Social distancing in schools will be a challenge

Noticias

Africa/Kenya/28-06-2020/Author and Source: www.kbc.co.ke

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has acknowledged that social distancing in schools will be a major challenge ahead of the planned September re-opening.

Speaking in Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) on Wednesday, Magoha said the existing infrastructure in schools will not support such a recommendation given the learner population.

Magoha, however, said teachers will be required to report two weeks before reopening as part of the new measures to necessitate specialized training on management of COVID-19.

On students, the CS said the government will ensure schools get 24 million masks by September so that each child gets at least two.

“The government will procure 24 million face masks from government institutions of Rivatex, Kicotec and the National Youth Service (NYS) for school children ahead of September re-opening.”

“Once we agree on the prototype, then we will get the pricing so that when schools open in September, face masks will be in the institutions by mid-August as per the presidential directive,” Prof Magoha added.

“Every school will be required to also have thermal guns for temperature checks,” he said.

These are part of the measures that will have to be put in place in schools as the country grapples with the virus.

The minimum requirements upon reopening have been outlined as clean running water and soap for handwashing or hand sanitizers.

The institutions will also be required to sanitise often-touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches and stair railings with disinfectants.

In March, the government closed all schools in a bid to avert the unrestrained spread of COVID-19.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on June 1 asked the Education and Health ministries to chart the path towards reopening learning institutions.

Kenya has so far reported 5,206 cases of COVID-19, 130 fatalities and 1,823 recoveries since March 13, when the first local case was announced.

Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/cs-magoha-social-distancing-in-schools-will-be-a-challenge/

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Kenya: Coronavirus: Govt issues guidelines on protection of children

Noticias

Africa/Kenya/12-04-2020/Author and Source: www.kbc.co.ke

The state department for social protection has released a raft of measures that are meant to protect vulnerable children against the Coronavirus pandemic.

The measures include educating children on coronavirus such as how they can protect themselves from it and their online safety.

Turkana County Children Officer Julius Yator said the messages are also meant to ensure that parents and caregivers have sufficient information on how to handle their children as well as how government officers should handle street-connected children and those in refugee camps like Kakuma.

“We have emphasised the need for handwashing with soap, also telling children that it is safe to play with their siblings while indoors as well as helping them deal with misinformation about the COVID-19 disease by discussing what they read and hear with their parents,” said Yator.

Yator underscored the need for parents and caregivers to supervise what their children access online adding there is a need to limit the children online time.

He added the ministry has also provided guidelines regarding how charitable children institutions can send the young persons to their home or arranging to be independent.

“They must ensure that the young person has a place to live before leaving the charitable institution and facilitate them with clothing, hygienic supplies and other basic needs. They must also discuss and prepare a virtual monitoring plan for the young person through phones, email and  WhatsApp on a weekly basis,” he said.

However, he added that depending on the unique circumstances of a case, the institution should consider delaying the transition until it can be done in a manner that is safe for the young person.

Government and civil societies must ensure that information on Coronavirus reaches children on the streets and ensure they are not discriminated against during the curfews.

“Government and civil society organisations should ensure that drop-in centres and facilities are designated as essential services and are equipped with child or youth-friendly information,” added Yator.

The ministry has provided helpline 116 to help children who need counselling services.

Source and Image: https://www.kbc.co.ke/coronavirus-govt-issues-guidelines-on-protection-of-children/

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