By Emmanuel Gwakoi
Education Cabinet Secretary (CS), Ezekiel Machogu has appealed to Principals of Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) colleges to stick to offering only technical courses as stipulated by the Ministry of Education.
The CS noted that some TVET institutes were offering other courses unrelated to technical skills, saying in some cases the former took a large percentage of tuition fees thus negating the role of the institutions.
“I do not want our TVETS to dilute their programmes with other courses like Business. The government is supporting TVETS to absorb the majority of students who do not qualify to join universities,” Machogu said.
While briefing primary, secondary school heads and TVETs principals on the preparation of Grade Six, Standard Eight and Form Four examinations at Kisii School on Thursday, Machogu disclosed that TVETs have a shortage of 6,000 tutors, adding that the government plans to employ 3,000 tutors next year to ease the shortage.
He further said that the government has a shortage of 116,000 teachers in primary and secondary schools, stressing plans are underway to employ 30,000 teachers early next year and they will gradually employ others to bridge the shortfall.
The CS said the government is prepared to deliver credible examinations and implored its handlers to be vigilant and not fall into the traps of conmen claiming they have leakages for the examinations.
“The government has involved multi-agencies in the administration of the examinations which starts on November 28. The examination materials have been dispatched to 493 distribution and storage centres,” Machogu added.
State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education Principal Secretary Dr. Julius Jwan urged stakeholders to support the Cabinet Secretary to ensure that the examinations are done well and the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) is implemented for the benefit of learners.
Gucha Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Executive Secretary Lucifellah Bwari Machuki urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to train more teachers on CBC, equip schools and employ more teachers to implement the curriculum so as to be successful.
She also implored the Commission to shun de-localization and instead post teachers within their home counties.
Other dignitaries in attendance included; Kenya National Examination Council ( KNEC) Chief Executive Officer Dr. David Njeng’ere, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association ( KESSHA) Kisii county chairperson Joyce Orioki, Kisii county Director of Education Pius Ngoma, Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Kisii Executive Secretary Joseph Abincha, Kisii University Vice Chancellor Prof. John Akama and several other union officials.
