KNUT (Kenya National Union of Teachers) has demanded that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employs more teachers in a bid to achieve quality education as a right for all where every child has access to a qualified teacher.
In their resolutions passed by over 1,800 delegates during their 63rd Annual Delegates Conference held at Kasarani Sports Centre late last year, the union stated that TSC should employ appropriate staffing norms to ensure all schools and regions have adequate number of teachers in relation to learner population.
The ADC themed The Teacher We Need for the Education we want; The Kenyan Imperative to Reverse Teacher Shortage, saw the delegates observing that currently there are over 350,000 teachers in both primary and secondary school with a learner population of over 15 million, where teacher to learner ratio being contrary to the recommended 1:30 for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) class.
The union challenged the government to allocate more resources for employment of adequate number of teachers to bridge the current shortage of 111,000 teachers in the basic education levels, and that TSC should ensure equitable distribution of teachers in all regions and learning institutions.
KNUT resolved further that the government through TSC should enhance incentives given to teachers to attract, motivate and retain them in the profession; and further to consider affirmative action on employment and retention of teachers in the marginalized, arid and semi-arid and insecurity prone areas to mitigate teacher shortage in those regions.
However, TSC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia during the release of the 2023 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results at Moi Girls Eldoret on January 8, 2023 stated that the Commission will redistribute a total of 18,194 excess teachers in primary schools after the number of classes in the primary school level reduced by two classes (Standard 7 and 8).
She also observed that the additional one class in 2024 (Grade 8) in the Junior School has created a staffing shortage of 42,117 at this level since the number of teachers required this year in Junior School is 99,045 against the current number of 56,928; confirming further that the Commission has requested for funds to employ additional 20,000 teachers.
The TSC boss further noted that the Commission is in the process of promoting 36,505 teachers to different grades – from C2 grades to D5 grades – this financial year whereby of these vacancies, 17,914 will be filled by primary school teachers while 18,591 belong to post-primary school teachers.
In a move to increase access to free and quality basic education, the union resolved that the government should establish an essential minimum package to cushion schools with low enrollment, in addition to introducing equity funding models at all levels of education.
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) in its final report observed that the capitation to schools is based on enrollment and yet in some circumstances, the enrollment rates may be below the threshold to effectively sustain the running of a school.
The union resolved further that the government should revise some vote heads to minimize wastage and duplication.
“The government should review the capitation for basic education institution upwards such that pre-primary moves from the current rate to Ksh5,000 per learner, primary to Ksh4,000, Junior School to Ksh22,244, Senior School and Special Needs School to receive Ksh35,000 respectively,” reads the resolutions in part, adding that the capitation grants should be released in the ratios of 50:30:20 for first, second and third terms.
Currently learners in primary schools are being funded at a tune of Ksh1,400 per learner per year under the Free Primary Education while those in Junior School are funded at Ksh15,000 per learner pear year, with those in secondary schools being funded at a rate of Ksh22,244.
The Union also recommended diversification of sources of income in learning institutions to mitigate on plummeted funds where possible and also to encourage schools to catalyze resource mobilization strategies through writing of project proposals to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other donor organizations.
Further, schools, TSC and Ministry of Education should establish a uniform, compelling and consistent rewarding policy for all teachers, such that every teacher’s achievement and support to learners is documented to enable teachers who assist grade E and D learners to move to D and C respectively are rewarded.
“The MOE and TSC should develop policies and strategies to recognize and reward teachers’ excellence in every aspect of learning (co-curricular, school discipline, performing schools, and innovation among others), as well as teachers who go above and beyond expectations,” adds the union’s resolutions.
Other recommendations include TSC to ensure transfer of teachers is done appropriately, timely and humanely while avoiding bureaucracy.
By Roy Hezron
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