The Ministry of Education says it will require additional funding to the tune of Sh429 million to facilitate the testing and provision of protective kits for the trainers and students in the country’s Techinical and Vocational Training colleges in the post-COVID-19 period.
In documents presented before the Education Committee, the ministry said trainers, trainees and all staff will be required to be tested, have face masks, soaps, sanitizers and running water before they resume learning.
The Ministry of Health recently announced that testing for COVID-19 has been pegged at Sh1,000 at all public health facilities but it is estimated that the test cost between Sh4,000- Sh10,000 depending on where they are conducted. Private hospitals are more expensive.
The Government ordered all basic and tertiary colleges shut in March after the country reported its first case of the pandemic which has so far claimed 42 lives in the country and infected 758.
The move, among others, was introduced as the government moved to ban gatherings in public places which had been identified as one the avenues that can fuel infections.
The Ministry said it requires a further Sh3.8billion for the expected increase in enrolment of students.
According to the Ministry, the current allocation of Sh5.2 billion only caters for the 173,000 students against a projected enrollment of 300,000 students.
