NE teachers unhappy with rejection of lower TTC grades

Teachers from north eastern Kenya have expressed their displeasure at the rejection by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of the proposal to lower the entry grade to teacher training colleges, especially for marginalised counties.

Speaking at Garissa Hotel, Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) representatives drawn from the counties of Garissa, Wajir and Mandera told TSC to stop wrangles with the Ministry of Education and open dialogue with stakeholders on numerous issues affecting them.

Mr Ali Abdi Hussein, the assistant national treasury of the teachers’ union accuses TSC of coming up with policies he claimed have been antagonising teachers. This, he said, is done without any consultations.

ONSLAUGHT

He termed as onslaught on education the recent rejection by TSC of the proposal to lower the entry grade for teacher training colleges which was also supported by Attorney-General Kihara Kariuki.

Mr Hussein said this is a blow to the north eastern region which has been facing problems in the education sector especially due to insecurity.

"We demand that the employer stops unnecessary wrangles with the stakeholders and take real issues through consultations. In the recent past, colleges have failed to attract trainees due to harassment and frustration by the employer," he claimed.

"As Knut leadership from this region, we feel that the recent statement by the Teachers Service Commission is an attack on education. We want President Uhuru to intervene immediately" he added.

LOWER GRADE

The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) has proposed lowering of entry grades for teacher training colleges.

The authority had indicated that students seeking to study for diploma in education should have a C plain or C- in their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), exam results, down from C+.

KNQA also proposed that those seeking to study for a certificate in education need to have a D+, down from a C plain.

On his part Garissa County's Knut Secretary Abdirizack Hussein accused TSC of dishonesty, saying the process of lowering the grade started five months ago and the teacher's employer ought to have raised their concerns before it was gazetted.

"This is not something the ministry just came up with suddenly. The process has been going on from one stage to another. TSC should have raised any concerns then not after some students have been admitted," he told journalists.