Moi was a teacher at heart, loved youth
What you need to know:
It is the expansion of secondary schools and universities that stand out in the Nyayo era.
The number of secondary schools increased from about 1,000 to 3,000 by 2002 and public universities from one to more than a dozen, increasing access to higher education.
This raised the graduate-to-non-graduate ratio in the university age cohort to one of the highest in the continent.
Education could easily be the sector that received the most attention in the 24-year reign of retired President Daniel arap Moi. This may be attributed mainly to his having been a professional teacher but, more importantly, his passion for empowerment of the youth.
COMMISSIONS
But this did not begin with Mr Moi’s ascendancy to the presidency. It is documented that, way back in 1957, when he was an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Education, he moved a motion at the Organisation of African Unity that education be declared as a human right in Africa. It was adopted.
The same year, he moved a motion in the Kenyan Legislative Council to push for the establishment of a teachers’ union, which led to the formation of the Kenya National Union of Teachers that December. The Knut, in turn, agitated for the establishment of one employer of teachers, leading to the establishment of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in 1967. Again in 1957, Moi urged the government to improve the salaries of teachers.
Upon taking over power in 1978, President Moi made many changes in the education sector. At the policy level, he set up three commissions of inquiry into various aspects of education.
The first was the 1981 Presidential Working Party on the Establishment of a Second University. It recommended the establishment of a technical university, Moi University, and also recommended the overhaul of the education system at the primary and secondary school level.
CONSULTATIVE
The recommended change was aimed at introducing technical subjects to prepare students to join the second university, which would be oriented to technical courses. That was the foundation upon which 8-4-4 system of education was introduced.
The second was the Presidential Working Party on Education and Manpower Training for the Next Decade and Beyond, set up in 1986. It addressed the funding challenges for education due to the structural adjustment programmes. The cost-sharing concept was adopted in education then.
The third was the Commission of Inquiry into the Education system in Kenya, of 1999. This one proposed to replace 8-4-4 with the Totally Integrated Quality Education and Training (Tiqet) system. This was not implemented then. However, there are similarities of this proposal with those of the competency-based curriculum (CBC), which is being rolled out.
The three commissions systematically transformed education in a manner that carried along stakeholders because of the consultative nature of their work.
GENDER BALANCE
Secondly, President Moi was sensitive to the rights of the poor and marginalised as well as the girl-child. Because of that, he introduced school milk in primary schools. That not only improved children’s nutrition but also drew them to the classroom.
Schools in some parts of the country were put under a school feeding programme backed by donor agencies.
Because of his concern for gender imbalance, President Moi constructed or expanded many girls schools, which enhanced competitiveness of these schools in national examinations.
President Moi had immense love for the performing arts, such as music and drama. Promotion of teachers whose students performed well in music and drama contests created competition within schools on these subjects leading to improved performance.
UNIVERSITY AGE
President Moi was also a sports fan. He constructed the 30,000-seater Nyayo National Stadium and the 60,000-capacity Moi International Sports Complex within the first eight years of his presidency. These stadiums were meant to enhance competencies of the youth, mostly students.
But it is the expansion of secondary schools and universities that stand out in the Nyayo era. The number of secondary schools increased from about 1,000 to 3,000 by 2002 and public universities from one to more than a dozen, increasing access to higher education. This raised the graduate-to-non-graduate ratio in the university age cohort to one of the highest in the continent.
Finally, President Moi had two other laudable administrative attributes. He constantly engaged national, provincial and district level education officials at regular intervals. This made them alert and ensured that they concentrated on their tasks.
GREATEST HOMAGE
President Moi was a stickler for punctuality. He would arrive at a graduation ceremony at a university or teacher training colleges exactly at the appointed time. This got all stakeholders to keep time.
The greatest homage Kenyans can pay to the late President Moi is to build upon the success achieved in his era for the country to maintain its leading role in educational feats in Africa.
Mr Sogomo is a former Secretary of TSC. [email protected].
