BY ALBERT NYAKUNDI
The National Youth Service is not going to release students in their 17 vocational training centers countrywide despite a Presidential directive that had given Schools, Tertiary Institutions and Universities up to Friday March 20 to close.
This was meant to contain further spread of Covid-19 commonly known as Coronavirus that was first detected in the country on March 6.
Seven cases have been confirmed so far and victims isolated for treatment.
Youth and Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Rachael Shebesh had not responded to our inquiries by press time.
NYS Director General Matilda Sakwa said it is not a crime not to have released the over seven thousand students.
“Is it a crime? And it is not a secret for you to Investigate. They have not been discharged from the service, have they? So, if the government wants to assign them other duties no problem. Remember, NYS just like other critical departments is supposed to prepare for any crisis arising from the corona virus.” Sakwa told Hot News via a phone message.
Hot News has independently confirmed that more than eleven thousand students who graduated from NYS training school in Gilgil on December 6, 2019 are currently undertaking national building duties.
They are the ones expected to respond to any eventualities and not students currently in vocational training centers.
President Uhuru presided over the Pass out ceremony.
Interestingly teachers in all these NYS vocational training centers are not reporting to work.
Over six thousand students sponsored by NYS to study externally in tertiary institutions went home after those institutions closed following the President’s orders on Sunday.
“If need be, we will recall those in TVETs.” Sakwa said through a message sent to HotNews.
Staffers who talked to Hot News on condition of anonymity said the students sleep in congested barracks which houses about one hundred students each.
“How safe is this? Are they practicing social distance? The students go out, interact with members of the public and return to sleep in the barracks.” said a junior staffer.
Students who talked to Hot News said they are living in fear.
“No one has addressed us at the school regarding this pandemic.” said a student who sought anonymity for fear of victimization.
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