Chepalungu MP pledges to push for hiring of more teachers to address shortage

Chepalungu Member of Parliament (MP) Victor Koech has pledged to lobby for the recruitment of additional teachers to address the acute shortage affecting schools in the constituency.

Koech said the shortage of teachers has severely compromised academic standards in the area, warning that the situation is worsening the academic standard.

Speaking during an education forum in the constituency, the MP cited Cheptagum Primary School as a case in point, noting that the institution has a pupil population of about 600 with only three Teachers Service Commission (TSC) teachers.

“You find a school with 600 pupils being served by only three TSC teachers. This is unacceptable and it directly affects the quality of education our children receive,” said Koech.

The lawmaker attributed the teacher shortage to poor infrastructure and the lack of hardship allowances, which he said has forced many teachers to seek transfers to neighboring constituencies.

“Teachers are leaving because there are no hardship allowances, yet nearby areas like Narok West and Trans Mara East are listed as hardship zones,” Koech noted.

The legislator revealed that he has already drafted a bill seeking to have Chepalungu gazetted as a hardship area to enable teachers posted there to receive hardship allowances.

ALSO READ:

Supervising Seniors: The CSO ranking mess that’s killing curriculum delivery in schools

“Once these allowances are in place, teachers will have no reason to move to other areas,” he said.

Koech further observed that Chepalungu has one of the highest numbers of learning institutions in the region, with nearly 300 schools, including 190 primary schools and 67 secondary schools.

“Other constituencies have fewer than 50 schools, yet we are allocated almost the same resources,” he said.

He pledged to continue engaging the Teachers Service Commission, adding that parents in the area cannot afford to hire Board of Management (BOM) teachers.

“Our parents cannot sustain BOM teachers. The national government must step in,” Koech said.

Additionally, the MP proposed a review of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) allocation formula to ensure constituencies with more schools receive increased funding.

“Areas with more schools should receive more funds to meet their education needs,” he added.

By Kimutai Langat