Uhuru wants teachers rewarded for good performance in exams

President Uhuru Kenyatta joins Kenya High School students in a jig during the laying of a foundation stone for the a proposed modern kitchen and dining complex at school on May 18, 2018. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • President Kenyatta was school in top performing schools given promotions.
  • Mr Kenyatta said curriculum reforms are on course with first batch of new system set to join secondary schools in 2022.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to develop a reward scheme for teachers whose schools perform well in the national examinations.

The President said that although TSC has developed a reward scheme for principals and head teachers whose schools perform well, the same has not been extended to teachers.

He, therefore, said that it was only prudent to extend the same to teachers whose schools perform well by promoting them, adding that he had already consulted with the Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed who will engage TSC with a view to ensuring that the reward scheme that applies to principals is extended to teachers.

“I do concur the rewards are not just about heads, they are also about teachers, about support staff just as much as they are about the students. We want to have a reward scheme for schools that perform well just as much as a punishment scheme for schools that don’t perform,” said President Kenyatta.

He was speaking on Friday at Kenya High School where he laid a foundation stone for the school’s modern kitchen and dining hall complex.

CURRICULUM

President Kenyatta said curriculum reforms are on course, with the first batch of the students of the competence based set to join secondary schools in 2022, adding the government’s target of achieving 100 per cent transition to secondary school is becoming a reality.

The President said the government has implemented a host of initiatives to ensure access to equity and quality education,  with the Sh3.7 billion comprehensive medical cover for 2.8 million students under the National Hospital Insurance Fund being one of them.

The medical cover, he said, is expected to improve retention of students in schools and also help in achieving universal health care. In addition, President Kenyatta explained that the government has undertaken other steps to improve access to quality education, including Sh8.2 billion in developing infrastructure in secondary schools, improvement of students’ capitation fees from Sh12,870 to Sh22,244 at the level.

“The government has also implemented one textbook policy that has seen more than 33 million books delivered to both primary and secondary schools across the country. We will further supply books for optional subjects to secondary schools this term,” the President said.

The Head of State announced Sh140 million will be disbursed through the ministry to complete the modern kitchen and dining hall complex project at Kenya High, in addition to Sh50 million that had already been disbursed.