By Mathews Bulimo
Many private Teachers Training Colleges(TTCs) across the country are on the verge of collapsing due to the low number of students enrolling in the institutions for Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) ,Diploma in Teacher Education Primary option commonly referred to as P1 and Secondary Education.
Mr. Patrick Nandasaba ,the Chief Principal of West Kenya College of Professional Studies located in Kanduyi Sub-County said the institution has only managed to enroll a few students for ECDE diploma course.
He added that majority of those who wish to pursue Diploma in Teacher Education did not meet the required cluster subjects for enrollment as set by the Ministry of Education.
According to the new policies , for one to enroll for a course in Diploma in Teacher Education , one must have a minimum grade of C plain and pass in other cluster subjects like Mathematics, English ,Kiswahili ,one Humanity and a science in the grades scored in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
Nandasaba said that officials from the Education Office visited his school for an inspection exercise. As per the requirements , they need to have Practical Science Laboratories ,Information and Communication Technology Centre ,a music laboratory ,sports arena and an Agricultural Centre for them to be certified to offer training in the Diploma course in Teaching .
Nandasaba reiterated that all those requirements require a lot of money and that low student enrollments posed a financial threat to their sustainability. He urged the government to do away with cluster subjects requirements and instead focus on the mean grade so as to save their investments in educating teachers.
He also urged students to work hard in all subjects so as to easily enroll for their preferred courses in future.
He expressed hope that all is not lost as those not able to join TTCs can join TVETs for life skills which is also a saver for un-employment.
The situation is not different for another college director who sought anonymity. He revealed that his college is in a deep financial crisis since the halting of P1 enrolment and Certificate ECDE in 2019.
He also revealed that he is contemplating selling personal property so as to be able to service bank loans.
He appealed to the government to implement the guidelines in stages so that private TTCs do not collapse. He also called on the national government through education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to give soft loans to private learning institutions so as to cushion them against the harsh economic conditions poised by the Corona Virus .
He argued that the Ministry of Education should embrace the recommendations earlier suggested by former Cabinet Secretary for Education Ambassador Amina Mohammed. Amb. Mohammed had proposed to have an affirmative action for training teachers in areas such as North Eastern.
‘There is still a very high shortage of teachers in the country and the only saviour is the survival of TTCs,’ he said.
Mrs. Dorothy Auma , the Director of Nabongo TTC said that the college has only been able to find four students who have qualified for the Diploma in Teacher Education Primary option .
The institution is the only college in Bungoma county that has so far been certified by the government to train teachers under the new guidelines.
She expressed hope that teachers already qualified for P1 course will do an upgrade of a nine months course to gain a Diploma in Teacher Education for admission.
Some of the TTCs like Mwea TTC have been shut down due to financial crisis.
Bungoma County Deputy Governor Prof Charles Kibanani Ngome called on TSC and Prof Magoha to save TTCs from the crisis they are facing.
