Day: September 29, 2024

Principal Secretary (PS), the State Department for Higher Education and Research, Dr. Beatrice Muganda Inyangala, wants fresh graduates to embrace technology as they join their areas of specialization in the industry.

Speaking during 8th graduation ceremony at Kirinyaga University, the PS said the Kirinyaga University motto ‘innovative technology for a dynamic world’ resonates with the realities of our time, expressing confidence that the graduates were adequately prepared to embrace the digital era.

‘Joining education, business, health sciences, engineering, all of those are great opportunities in drawing onto technology to uncover infinite possibilities. I commend the university for this focus on science, technology and innovation.’ PS said.

The university that received its charter in 2016 has transformed from a small technical institution of less than 200 students to a full-fledged university with more than 13,000 students, 300 staff and over 100 academic programs.

Dr Inyangala further emphasized the
role of the University for training our health practitioners which is contributing to the government’s agenda of universal health coverage.

‘I’m aware that you are working very hard to impact health outcomes in the community by offering free diagnostics and treatment. I thank you for this and I encourage you to the scope of this work.’ She noted

The experts being released today in software, computer systems, and the engineers will definitely advance the government’s agenda of the digital economy. In an era of accountability and science-based decision-making in the justice system, we also appreciate the experts that will advance forensic science.

She affirmed the government’s commitment to supporting universities to deliver on their mission by providing a conducive policy environment to facilitate university operations and relying on research evidence from universities to continuously improve on policies and programs.

The PS added that the government continues to fund universities even in this present cons
trained physical space. She assured the university, students and parents, that through the new funding model for universities the institution will receive resources as opposed to the past system where it used to increase by just about 5% every year.

‘With the current model, we are almost doubling resources to the universities. And this is really what we need to ensure that our students get the quality education that can only be realized if we fund quality input, if we employ additional staff, if we can improve on your infrastructure. We also recognize that all other inputs into the education space will not produce the desired results if our staff do not organize them to deliver the desired outputs’

She challenged the graduates to seize every opportunity to refine their skills, to upskill, to multi-skill and to broaden their horizons to fit a fast-changing world in the fourth industrial revolution.

‘I will add my voice to what has been said before and say, impress curiosity, challenge assumptions and seek o
ut knowledge with an open mind. When called to serve, do so with diligence, with empathy for the less fortunate in society and with love for those around you’

Kirinyaga University Vice Chancellor (VC), Professor Mary Ndung’u, said the university programs are consciously developed to address and to effectively contribute to the achievement of Kenya Vision 2030 and the Better Agenda of Government, BETA.

The VC said development of high-quality teaching and research programs naturally comes with a requirement for excellent facilities which the university council and management has continued to mobilize resources to ensure students are adequately equipped with innovative technology and skills.

‘It is our hope that the government funding will be enhanced in order to enable Kirinyaga University to realize the roadmap as set out in our strategic plan 2022-2027. We embrace a holistic approach in equipping our students for the workplace including academic, social and ethical skills.’

Professor Ndung’u added to crea
te an enabling environment for the learners, the university has invested in ultra-modern facilities: laboratories, workshop, ICT infrastructure, including high-speed internet, and attendance support services.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Teachers may soon collapse their respective unions into a giant federation to consolidate and strengthen their numbers in articulate their interest, if proposal by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) sails through.

KNUT Executive Secretary Collins Henry Oyuu recently revealed plans to incorporate the Sister Union, the Kenya National Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in the formation of a Federation of teachers in Kenya.

Addressing teachers during the Teso Branch 18th Annual General Meeting at KNUT Hall in Amagoro, KNUT SG Collins Oyuu, noted that operating under one umbrella will make the federation strong thus making easier to advocate for teacher’s issues.

‘Way back when we had one union, we were very powerful and we could champion for teacher’s issues easily. We must cross examine ourselves and reciprocate East Africa Teachers federation which champions for issues affecting teachers in unisom,’ noted Oyuu.

The Knut Executive Secretary said the legal notice 534 of 1997 signed by
Kenya’s second president, the late Daniel Arap Moi, had given teacher’s salary increments, but which was not implemented.

‘ It’s as a result of this painful challenge that we have opted to form a Federation that must be supported by all unions in the country,’ he said.

‘ The only way forward for teachers in Kenya is to seek one frontier in a bid to have one single Federation for teachers,’ Oyuu noted.

He said Knut called for industrial action because of the failure by the TSC to implement the second phase of the 2024-2025 collective bargaining agreement.

Oyuu said teachers are suffering, with young teachers going a notch higher in borrowing their savings, noting that mental illness in classrooms is caused by borrowing.

He also called for the promotion of 130,000 teachers and to some local banks to effect remittance of third-party deductions.

The sentiments which were echoed by Teso South Member of Parliament Mary Emaase said there was a need to motivate teachers who need employment, noting that employm
ent is their biggest challenge.

She said there was urgent need by the Teachers Service Commission to absorb all interns and to employ 20,000 teachers to reduce the current deficit.

‘TSC should also employ teachers on first come, first service basis in order to adhere to fairness. She also urged TSC not to post teachers to remote schools, especially ladies noting that such teachers become demoralized

The MP also urged the national treasury to pay retirees their benefits instead of travelling to Nairobi, warning it of amorphous deductions of Ksh 200.

The fifth branch Executive Secretary Geoffrey Ekasiba said the current membership in TB stands at 1500 through the branch has over 2,000 teachers ì.e Teso North, Teso South, and Teso Central.

Ekasiba said delocalization of teachers that TSC introduced had doubled separation of families, increased mpango wa kando, and more family breakage, adding that teachers who have requested to go back to where they call home haven’t been given that chance.

The Executive
Secretary said schools are understaffed with a deficit of teachers in the branch totalling 340, adding that JSS teachers are overworked, some even forced to teach what they didn’t train.

‘ It’s painful to note that the spirit of sexual abuse on our pupils is hovering around our institutions,’ he said, adding that cases of absenteeism and drunkardness are increasing within our institutions.

Source: Kenya News Agency