It will be foolhardy for teachers to strike

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion addressing the press in the past. A team has been formed to draw up a list of teachers eligible for promotions. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Tragically, the country is still reeling from pathetic performance of public schools during the KCPE examinations
• It is the height of absurdity for leaders who are expected to let the best interests of the children reign supreme to be thinking of their stomachs at the expense of the children

 

By Kimani wa Njuguna
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Sometimes, one gets a feeling that some of the so-called leaders are either too insensitive or just cannot read the public mood.

This came to light when even before the dust settled over the disastrous health workers strike, anxiety has gripped parents whose children attend public schools.

This was after the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) threatened to take industrial action if the government fails to provide a road-map for promoting 53,000 teachers who have acquired new qualifications. (READ: Knut, TSC in deal to avert strike)

According to the union’s top brass, it beats logic that billions of shillings are made available for new programmes like laptops, while existing rights and privileges are being withdrawn from teachers.

There is nothing inconsistent about union officials breathing fire and brimstone while fighting for the rights of their members. However, there is everything wrong about the timing.

This is because it would be the third year running the academic calendar is being disrupted, if it happens. In 2012, a teachers’ strike paralysed learning to the extent that national examinations were postponed. Last year, a similar strike forced teachers to teach during April holidays after the government extended term dates to cover the lost time.

Tragically, the country is still reeling from pathetic performance of public schools during the KCPE examinations. In Nairobi County, which is the most privileged as it hosts both national and county quality assurance services, teacher management and curriculum development bodies, 1,032 pupils who sat for the KCPE in 2013 attained over 400 marks. (READ: Reprieve for poor KCPE performers)

GRIM PICTURE

Despite this, there is a grim picture of the educational standards of public schools. All the candidates who scored over 400 marks were from private schools. Public schools had 24,466 candidates, private schools 12,675 while informal schools had 8,820 candidates.

The county had 32 candidates on the top 100 national merit list. Of these, only one was from a public school.

While public and informal schools account for 73 per cent of the total number candidates, their scores will not earn them entry into national schools. The majority will also miss out on good county schools.

It has also emerged that 200,000 pupils, a bulk of them from public schools who sat the KCPE exam, have hit a dead end as they will not be transiting to the next level. Besides the inadequate number of secondary schools, these pupils scored less than 200 marks.

The country is also grappling with other challenges in the public education sector. These include astronomical costs of books and learning materials, increased prices of basic commodities that have forced schools, especially boarding ones, to make fees unaffordable for the poor, government delays in disbursing money for primary and secondary schools under its free learning programmes, poor infrastructure and inadequate.

It is the height of absurdity for leaders who are expected to let the best interests of the children reign supreme to be thinking of their stomachs at the expense of the children.

It will win teachers a lot of public goodwill if they can save children in public schools the agony of strikes.

Mr Njuguna teaches in Gatundu South, Kiambu County. (kimmejanjuguna@gmail.com)