Amagoro: The government, through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), has been urged to retool P1 teachers in the primary section to address the ongoing teacher shortage crisis in junior secondary schools (JSS), which remains a significant hurdle in the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) program. Speaking at Amagoro after the induction of Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) school representatives, KNUT National second vice chairperson Aggrey Namisi highlighted the severe student-teacher ratio issue in JSS, advocating for the inclusion of primary teachers who form the majority where JSS is located.
According to Kenya News Agency, Namisi expressed concern that JSS learners are not receiving the quality education they require due to the acute shortage of teachers. This shortage persists despite the government's efforts to employ 50,000 teachers. Namisi criticized the current model, where one JSS teacher is responsible for teaching eight subjects, calling it unrealistic and urging immediate action to secure the future of learners.
Namisi further suggested that the TSC should incorporate P1 teachers who have training in multiple subjects and possess broader exposure compared to university graduates who specialize in specific subjects. He emphasized the impracticality of assigning teachers specialized in English and Literature to handle subjects like chemistry or physics, describing it as detrimental to learners' education.
He advocated for the retooling of P1 and diploma teachers to manage JSS due to their extensive training and the fact that JSS is situated within primary schools. KNUT is also working to reclaim its influence by launching school representatives to strengthen union membership and enhance bargaining power. This initiative follows the training and induction of over 180 KNUT school representatives in the Teso branch to expand the union's reach in the region.
In response to these concerns, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has pledged to address job stagnation among teachers in the country. TSC Commissioner Dr. Nicodemus Anyang announced that the commission has promoted over 55,000 teachers in the past two years and plans to promote an additional 26,000 teachers in the next three months. He encouraged teachers who have not yet been promoted to continue applying, noting that previous budgetary constraints had limited opportunities.
Dr. Anyang acknowledged that some teachers have become disheartened after multiple unsuccessful applications, but reassured them that the commission is actively working to resolve these issues. He noted that stakeholder engagements across the country have highlighted stagnation as a primary concern, which the commission is now addressing.