By Charles Ojiambo
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has castigated Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) for raising grades for students who want to join Teachers Training Colleges (TTC).
Knut Western Kenya branch chairperson Paul Olung’a faulted the institute for increasing the minimum Mathematics grade to C plain for students undertaking diploma courses in teaching.
“I’m wondering why a teacher going to teach Christian Religion Education requires Mathematics for? Is it to count those people Jesus Christ fed?” asked Olung’a.
According to Olung’a, that has led to decline in the number of students who have applied to be teachers in the country.
“Upto now only five hundred students have applied to be teachers in the whole country because of the new changes,” he said
The Kolanya zone Curriculum Support officer Evans Masai disclosed that in the whole of Teso North only one applicant managed to meet the new requirements out of fifty.
He asked students to put more effort in the Mathematics subject, downplaying assertions by Olung’a that the subject is not necessary for all teachers.
“Mathematics is very important to every teacher even those teaching CRE and so let’s encourage our students in schools to work hard and achieve better grades in Mathematics as well as other subjects,” he said.
They condemned cases of parents and learners ganging up against heads of schools and holding demos against heads of schools due to very trivial reasons.
Busia county has witnessed a number of demonistration in in schools such as Alomodoi primary in Teso South, Bumutiru in Butula, Namboboto in Samia and Namnyweda secondary in Budalangi.
Some of the demonstrations were due to poor performance of the schools in the national examinations while others were due to alleged misconduct by head teachers.
