Kajiado leaders blame weak education policies on poor performance
Kajiado Deputy Governor Martin Moshisho and pupils of Upper Matasia Primary School cut a cake after launching a new ECDE complex at the school on July 12, 2018. PHOTO | COLLINS OMULO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
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Mr Seki said that the frequent redeployment of teachers, especially at primary school level, has destabilised the educational foundation of most learners.
Concerns have been raised over low rate of transition of learners from secondary schools to post-primary and tertiary institutions.
Mr Seki said that the rate of school dropout among boys in Kajiado has risen due to poverty, prompting them to engage in menial jobs like sand loading to make ends meet.
Kajiado County leaders are worried by the low rate of transition of learners from secondary schools to post-primary and tertiary institutions.
The leaders have ordered for an audit of all primary and secondary schools to gauge their performance levels.
Kajiado County Education and Vocational Training executive Mr Samuel Seki blamed the low rate of transition on poor grades and weak education policies.
He said that the rate of school dropout among boys in the county has risen due to poverty, prompting them to engage in menial jobs like sand loading to make ends meet.
“To address all these challenges the county and national government and education stakeholders have organised an assessment aimed at improving literacy levels in our schools by revamping the boards of management in all schools,” said Mr Seki.
DESTABILISED LEARNERS
Mr Seki said that the frequent redeployment of teachers, especially at primary school level, has destabilised the educational foundation of most learners.
He said that local teachers, who familiar with the basic education needs of their community, are being posted to work outside the county.
“This policy by the Teachers Service Commission has been an impediment to effective learning since many of the teachers who are being posted to Kajiado County do not want to teach in our rural schools,” he said.
He said that teachers in the county were too strained to handle the huge student population occasioned by the free primary education programme.
Kajiado Deputy Governor Mr Martin Moshisho (right) and County Education CEC Lenku Kanar Seki during the opening of the Kerarapon Primary School ECDE classes on July 12, 2018. PHOTO | COLLINS OMULO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
“We have a shortfall in the number of teachers in the rural areas; the Teachers Service Commission needs to address this shortage,” said Mr Seki.
UNDERSTAFFING
Mr Seki said that understaffing has had an effect on the performance of students transitioning from primary to secondary schools.
Meanwhile, Kajiado Deputy Governor Martin Moshisho has urged residents to make good use of the facilities funded by the county government to improve education standards in the county.
“Every child has the potential to be successful so long as they are nurtured and provided with learning materials and opportunities in a conducive environment,” he said.
He explained that under the leadership of Governor Joseph ole Lenku, the county government has committed to support education initiatives to improve learners’ performance in national examinations.
Mr Moshisho spoke during the launch of new ECDE classes at Kerarapon and Upper Matasia primary schools. Earlier, he had launched a new science laboratory at Ngong Township Secondary School.
