Education CS Amina Mohamed believes that candidates who score D+ should consider teaching courses so as to help those who do not benefit from an equitable environment of learning.
In an interview conducted by The Star, the CS cited this would help areas of Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) and North Eastern parts of the Country, which are desperately in need of teachers.
She insisted that most of the teachers posted in these areas flee due to terror attacks, bandit raids and cattle rustling adding that the solution would be hiring local residents until the situation is normalized.
“The disparities are big. In ASAL areas you are likely to find as many as 1000 pupils handled by three teachers,” Amina stated.
The current entry grade for teaching is C plain and above. The CS explained that lowering the grades would help students in 17 marginalized areas without enough candidates to get admission in the Teachers Service Commission.
At the same time, there’s a stalemate with TSC to end the critical shortage of teachers. In October, the commission took Amina to the High Court following her directive to lower entry grades to colleges.
CEO Nancy Macharia wanted the court to negate the CS' any powers to determine entry grades. The commission argued it's the sole body mandated with vetting and admitting students into training colleges.
Amina insisted that ASAL areas do not have many qualified candidates hence the lower grades are not a question of intelligence but a result of environmental constraints.
“It would be unfair to deny such children an opportunity to continue with their studies. Some of them will definitely do well when they join the colleges since they shall be in a conducive environment for learning,” she stated.
The CS urged sector players to work with the Ministry so that the teacher shortage is solved once and for all.
