By Kamundia Muriithi
Teacher training colleges have been advised to investigate the possible causes of student’s massive referrals in national exams in the last two years and institute remedial measures.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chairperson Lydia Nzomo said there was concern after candidates got mass referrals in some subjects in colleges across the country.
Speaking at St Mark’s Kigari Primary Teachers College during its 80th graduation ceremony, Nzomo said it was worrying that some of the students referred in year 2016 were still referred in 2017 exams.
She cited Kigari where out of the 734 students who sat for the exam, only 418 (57per cent) passed and graduated while the rest were referred in some subjects.
“This is of great concern to the Commission. There is something which is not right and which needs to be addressed. I expect the colleges’ administrations to have analysed the results and come up with the possible causes of the massive failures in the subject area affected and the immediate collective measures,” she said.
She noted that whereas students have a big role to play in their academic and exam success, the academic staff also has a great role to play.
The chairperson also tasked colleges to come up with innovative ways of ensuring that they become institutions of choice for school leavers aspiring to train as primary school teachers.
She observed that whereas there was a downward trend in enrolment in colleges across the country as students lost interest in training as teachers, many private colleges were coming up and they also had students.
Kigari College Principal James Muguna, board chair Lincoln Kivuti and Bishop ACK Diocese of Embu David Muriithi also graced the graduation.
Muguna said they were faced by unprecedented referrals in some subjects in the last two years but had instituted measures to mitigate this phenomenon, which is national, by re-evaluating their approaches in curriculum development.
He also lamented that financing of education had become a nightmare to many parents.
He said many had failed to meet the financial obligations to the college, resulting in huge fee arrears making the running of the institution difficult.
“We appeal to the Ministry of Education to re-introduce bursary for needy students to be administered by the college, since we are the only one capable to impartially identify needy students,” he said.
The principal further called for more funding to put up facilities that enhance learning, chief among them an administration block with departmental offices.
Most of the college’s infrastructure is old, having been put up during colonial times to address the needs of that time.
