Grieving parents, relatives and friends at Kakamega County Referral
Hospital where 13 pupils were confirmed dead after a stampede at their
school. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE
The education sector has in the recent past been hit by
calamities that saw eight children lose their
lives at Talent Academy in Dagoretti South Constituency, Nairobi, and recently at Kakamega Primary School where 14 lives were also lost after a stampede that saw children scramble to exit the classrooms upstairs through the narrow staircase.
lives at Talent Academy in Dagoretti South Constituency, Nairobi, and recently at Kakamega Primary School where 14 lives were also lost after a stampede that saw children scramble to exit the classrooms upstairs through the narrow staircase.
The
recent killing of teachers in northern Kenya saw non local teachers
resigning en mass. For the Talent Academy, Education Secretary George
Magoha prevailed upon the proprietors and had the school closed because
of poor facilities, while in Kakamega, the ministry in collaboration
with the police have launched an investigation into the stampede.
The
teachers’ unions through their leaders accuse the ministry of Education
of mismanagement, lack of oversight and poor supervison. They have
accused ministry officials of stage-managing disasters instead of
dealing with the root-cause of the problems.
Union
leaders, the majority of whom are teachers, behave like they live in
Mars while such events occur in a new planet called earth. They look
lost even in their makeshift press statements where they blame the
ministry of Education for everything.
The Kenya Union
of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) argued that the closures are
a mere public relations gimmick that should stop immediately.
On October 2, 2019, Kuppet officials led by chairman Omboko
Milemba and Secretary-General Akello Misori held a press conference and
asked the CS not to close schools that were in deplorable situations,
but asked him to first deal with corrupt officials at the ministry.
The
CS is not the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss nor the
Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). If they have facts to show that
ministry officials are corrupt, then let them report those officials to
the police. Action will be taken by the relevant authorities, the CS
does not have powers to arrest or prosecute. The CS cannot have his eyes
on every institution of learning, there are teachers who are
institution managers who should identify problems and cascade to the
authorities for immediate action.
Teachers should, however, be adequately trained to ensure safety of the learners.
Some
of them have even transitioned to become law makers but hold on to
their positions as officials in the teachers associations. One wonders
whether they blame the government for lack of oversight or blame
Parliament for failing to enact or strengthen laws that govern the
education sector.
When the ministry of Education and
the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) were training teachers in
readiness for the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) take–off early last
year, Knut was against it. TSC put on the spot 219 teachers who faced
various disciplinary actions, 42 teachers were dismissed and 124
interdicted. The commission vowed to recover salaries it paid to Knut
members who were facing disciplinary actions following the April 2019
chaotic scenes during the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) training.
Knut
through its Secretary- General gave endless reasons why the country was
not ready for the new system and even threatened to boycott the
process. But the ministry in collaboration with other stakeholders
rallied members of the public to seek diverse opinions.
Private
entities like the Nation Media Group (NMG) organised events where CBC
was the main agenda of discussion. The CS was categorical that no one
would stop the process, and for sure the ministry finally brought in all
the stakeholders and launched CBC last year. During this event, drama
ensued when Knut officials who had blatantly refused to register for the
launch tried to force their way into KICC. It was mandatory for all the
delegates to register.
One wonders then what values
these bodies inculcate in the learners they have been entrusted to
teach. They seem to oppose even what would be helpful to the common
Kenyan child. Whose interest do they serve?
When
disaster strikes, we need to be together and provide possible solutions.
But instead they are the ones who run to the press and blame the
government for everything. It is possible the Knut may accuse the
ministry of not building the bridges in areas where it was reported
children had to swim across the river to attend school. What about
dilapidated roads?
It is high time the government cracks the whip and put clear the roles of the teachers’ bodies.
Pius Nunda Via Email
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