This communication summarizes COVID-19 management protocols as guided by the MOE, MOH and KPSA.
Covid-19 Response Committee
The committee is made up of several members that include School management, teaching staff, and non-teaching staff. This committee shall take into consideration the views of parents and pupils. The core responsibility of this committee shall be to ensure the implementation and compliance with COVID-19 guidelines on health and safety protocol as promulgated by the Ministry of Education and MOH for schools. The Roseve Educational Centre Covid-19 Response Committee is made up of the following:
1) Peter Bii - Director
2) Kiprono Meshack - Deputy Head teacher
3) Noreen Ngere - Nursery Section
4) Osuka Collins - Chaplain
5) Jennifer Chepkoech - Head of Works
6) Jane Barno - Cateress
7) Edda Sawe - School Nurse
8) Lillian Musiji - Lower Primary Coordinator
9) Emmanuel letting - Boarding Coordinator
As a school, we shall be assigned through the SCDE office in partnership with KPSA local officials to a cluster of around 10 schools or less. The cluster shall work together to form a platform for information sharing, experience sharing, bench marking and monitoring of Covid-19 behavior for appropriate action.
Essential Mandatory General Health Supplies
a) Hand washing stations, liquid soaps, and running water.
b) Hand sanitizers and disinfectants.
c) Non-touch thermometers.
d) First aid kits.
e) Facemasks to be worn by everyone in school.
f) PPE’s for specific staff (e.g. Kitchen).
Opening and Post-Opening Action Plan
• Pupil and staff sensitization on health protocols. Training sessions shall be held for pupils and staff as appropriate. The Covid-19 information signs that have been posted around the school compound shall be referred to frequently and guidelines enforced.
• Reorganization of all school activities to ensure there is social distancing (classrooms, dining halls, pathways, water points, corridors, water points, toilets).
• Frequently disinfect (daily) classroom, office, sick bay, dormitory and dining hall (floors, furniture, door handles, counters, shower cubicles, staircase railings, toilets and sinks). Frequently disinfect dormitory door. Dining hall tables and benches should be cleaned with disinfectant after each group eats.
• Teachers and Administrative staff to have designated seating areas. These should not be shared or exchanged.
• Meals to be staggered to provide for proper social distancing. The class timetables shall be rearranged to provide for this.
• Classes to be rearranged and floors, dining hall benches e.t.c marked to ensure appropriate social distancing. Teachers should frequently check to ensure that pupils are keeping to marked areas.
• Kitchen utensils to be washed with soap and hot water and rinsed thoroughly and then air dried. There should be enough utensils for everyone so that there is no hurried rewashing.
• All catering staff shall have the necessary health checks and certificates. Further, they shall wear aprons, masks and disposable gloves while on duty. In addition, they shall wear a face screen, in addition to masks when serving pupils.
• Staff in busy areas that bring them in contact with a number of outsiders shall be provided with and wear a face screen, in addition to their masks, (e.g. Matrons, Security Guard, School Secretary, and Accounts Staff).
• Pupils and staff members shall be screened daily for Covid-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, breathing difficulties and malaise). Anyone with symptoms will need to seek medical attention before resuming school/work.
• The Security Guard at the main gate shall record the name and telephone number of all visitors (including service providers), take their temperature, ensure they are wearing masks, wash hands and/or sanitize. Any visitor with a temperature of 37.4 degrees centigrade and above shall be denied entry. Every effort should be made to discourage unnecessary visits to the school by visitors (including parents). Where a parent must visit school, no access will be allowed to classroom or dormitories.
• Day scholars dropped by parents shall have their temperatures taken and recorded before their parents leave. They shall come to school wearing a mask (the standard 3 ply surgical mask) and carrying a spare in their school bag. Day scholars on school transport shall be accompanied to the school vehicle and have their temperature taken and recorded, and then sanitize before entering the bus. Any pupil with a temperature of 37.4 degrees centigrade and above shall be denied entry and the adult accompanying them asked to seek medical attention for the child before being allowed to return to school.
• All pupils and staff shall wash hands with soap and water on arrival in school (or when leaving the dorms for boarders), before meals, after using the bathroom etc. Each person should have a mask and a sanitizer which they shall use from time to time to ensure they maintain optimum hand cleanliness at all times. Staff shall be provided with sanitizers and some masks by the school administrator. Boarders will have their sanitizers topped up by the matrons as needed.
• The new school sickbay shall be stationed at the old Directors’ office and be manned by the Community Health Assistant/Assistant Nurse. She will have direct access to a Clinical Officer and ambulance at Kapsabet District Level 5 Hospital, who will handle any emergencies. Any child found to be having covid-19 symptoms while at school shall be isolated at the sickbay and either taken to hospital or have their parents called to pick them up. The same shall apply to staff. A sick pupil or staff member shall return to school only after they have received appropriate medical attention and no longer have any symptoms.
• The Secretaries shall maintain updated bio-data of all pupils and staff, including contact and home location details of parents/guardians to ease the management of emergencies. The Assistant Nurse shall maintain daily health records (temperature/observation notes) of all pupils and staff in the school.
• Face to face staff meetings shall be limited as much as possible, and where necessary, appropriate safety measures shall be put in place. Electronic media shall be utilized as much as possible.
• Pupils and staff who feel unwell, even if their symptoms are mild should not travel to school.
• School vehicles should be frequently disinfected (Daily).
• All school events/visiting days are suspended until further notice.
• Any PE/exercise activities shall have no contact and appropriate social distance shall be maintained. Inter-school activities remain suspended until further notice.