Union wants school workers hired permanently
KUSSNTS National Deputy Secretary-General Josephat Kamau
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20,000 TTC trainees on CBC to sit KNEC exams this July
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total of 20,037 first cohort of teachers trained under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) by teacher training colleges are set to sit their final examination this July. The teachers enrolled for a one-year upgrade programme in September 2021, which targeted unemployed P1 and Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers, who both graduated earlier. Those who graduated recently were not left out.
»» Page 35
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TSC moves to shield teachers from loan sharks The new T-PAY system has been made water-tight, making it impossible for fraudsters to infiltrate it
»» STORY PAGE 12
Student invents military gadgets which detect landmines, IEDs
NACC trains education staff on handling learners with HIV
»» Page 23
Varsities win big in post-graduate law training tussle »» Page 9
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Counties with highest teenage pregnancies »» Page 4
The principal who was nearly fired for ‘slaughtering school bull’ »» Page 25
Govt: Each County to have a National Poly »» Page 2
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
Government to establish National Polytechnic in each County
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BRIEFS CENTRAL | KIAMBU
28,000 Kiambu students get Sh.90m in bursaries
The government expects TVETs to produce the much-needed skilled human labour that meets industry requirements at national and international levels. Research and innovations in these institutions should have commercial and entrepreneurial components that can attract funding from development partners and the private sector -Dr Mwakima
By Tindi Kuchio
Technical and Vocational Education PS Dr. Margaret Mwakima.
Principal Secretary, State Department for Vocational and Technical Training Dr Margaret Mwakima has disclosed that the government has initiated plans to cluster Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) institutions in order to have a national polytechnic in each county. Speaking at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County during the closing ceremony of the 5th Kenya Association of Technical Training Institutions (KATTI) TVET Fairs, Innovations, Research Paper Presentation and Robotics competition, Dr Mwakima revealed that plans were also underway to establish at least one Technical and Vocational College (TVC) in each sub-county and a Vocational Training Centre (VTC) in every ward. Dr Mwakima noted that the institutions will be developed to be Centres of Excellence in one or two trade areas to promote specialisation. “The government has already established 26 Centres of Excellence in TVET institutions with focus on skills required in regions where the institutions are located,” affirmed the PS. She further revealed that 12 TVETs have also been supported with value addition equipment to incorporate training with production. The PS pointed out that globally, the TVET sector had become critical in achieving rapid economic growth, social and technological improvements since human resources require greater technical skills to participate in the knowledge economy. “The Government expects TVETs to produce the much–needed skilled human labour that meets industry requirements at national and international levels. Research and innovations in these institutions should have commercial and entrepreneurial com-
ponents that can attract funding from development partners and the private sector,” stated Dr Mwakima. The PS said the Ministry of Education was committed to ensuring that many incubation centres are set up to sustain research and innovation culture in TVET institutions. This, she noted, would create an enabling environment for the commercialization of projects displayed in TVET fairs, research and innovations. Dr Mwakima added that her department was charged with the responsibility of ensuring an effective, coordinated and harmonized TVET system. “Our goal is to ensure the production of quality skilled human resource for the growth and prosperity of the various sectors of the economy. To execute this mandate, the department has been implementing youth empowerment through skills and talent development and enhancement of entrepreneurial potential,” explained Dr Mwakima. She confirmed that the ministry had channeled huge resources for the construction of more TVET institutions, supply of state-of-the-art training equipment and recruitment of trainers among other collaborative strategies. The PS noted that the ministry, in collaboration with development partners and the private sector, was undertaking a broad range of innovative activities to ensure the youth acquire information and skills relevant to the labour market. She concluded by urging all TVET institutions to take advantage of the government’s support and play a leading role in innovations and research matters in the country. KATTI national chairperson Glory Mutungi acknowledged that the past two years had been very challenging to the TVET sector because of the devastating
effects of Covid- 19 pandemic. She disclosed that in the true spirit of responding to the society’s challenges, a number of TVET institutions had come up with innovations that helped in tackling the pandemic such as hand sanitizers, liquid soaps and pedal taps just to name but a few. The chair said the role of TVET institutions was to equip the youth with technical skills that will make them employable and enable them to spur the country’s economy. Ms Mutungi noted that innovations displayed at Kinoru Stadium were a clear indication that the youth had what it takes to create wealth through commercialization of their projects and create the much needed employment opportunities. Mutungi, who is also the Chief Principal of Nairobi Technical Training Institute, further acknowledged that the investment the government had done in TVET institutions had produced desired results. She said it had provided the Kenyan youth with ample opportunities to contribute to the growth of the economy through enhancement of research and innovations. The Nairobi TTI principal called on finalists in the robotics contest to start thinking of ways to commercialise their innovations, adding that by doing so, they would be creating jobs for themselves and contributing to the country’s economic growth. “We’re seeking partners who will help us scale up the quality and production capacity of our research and innovation products,” she proferred. Present during the event were principals of the various TVET institutions, KATTI trainers and trainees from various institutions. Others were representatives from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Mobius Motors.
Union demands hiring of school workers on permanent terms
By Peter Otuoro
Kenya Union of Secondary School Non-Teaching Staff (KUSSNTS) has urged the government, through the Public Service Commission, to employ all non-teaching staff under permanent and pensionable terms. Speaking during a four-day Murang’a County Bursar Training Workshop held at Kunste Hotel in Nakuru, KUSSNTS National Deputy Secretary General Josephat Kamau said thousands of non-teaching staff in schools suffer in the hands of brutal Boards of Management, who do not adequately remunerate them for services rendered. “Non-teaching staff have families and yet at times, they do not get paid for six months or more. That act demoralizes them, rendering them constantly stressed and ineffective in service delivery,” he said. The Union boss went on to explain that when the non-teaching staff are employed on permanent and pensionable terms, they stand to enjoy job security like other civil servants. Kamau urged the school BoMs to compensate non-teaching staff their Covid-19 dues. He thanked the BoMs for ensuring that they make NHIF and NSSF
From right: KUSSNTS National Deputy Secretary-General Josephat Kamau and his National Treasurer Mathew Kimosop speaking during training for Murang’a County Bursars. Photo/Peter Otuoro remittances on time for all non-teaching staffs. “I would like to thank most of BoMs for their paying members’ NHIF and NSSF dues on time, but they should also pay them their salaries on time, because the salaries can be readily demanded for use, unlike NHIF and NSSF will be used in future,” said Kamau.
Kamau told the over 400 bursars from Murang’a County to register with the KUSSNTS in order to make it a stronger Union. “When we are many we will have sufficient bargaining power and the government will be ready to hear our grievances and address them to our own benefit and for better service delivery in our secondary schools,” he
said. Kamau said all non-teaching staff in secondary schools such as bursars, finance officers, laboratory technicians, librarians, secretaries, school drivers, store keepers, security officers and catering staff, among others qualify to register as KUSSNTS members. The unionist, who was accompanied by KUSSNTS National Treasurer Mathew Kimosop, said they currently have 11,000 members and they will organize a mass recruitment of secondary schools non-teaching staff in all the 47 counties to ensure that they get an avenue to voice their grievances and be heard by the relevant authorities. Kamau said KUSSNTS has made the initiative of meeting education stakeholders, among them Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha, who assured them of his support. He also indicated that the Union leaders have held several meetings with the chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Education Florence Mutua, adding that the discussions were fruitful and that several bills were on the floor of the House. KUSSNTS was officially registered in 2017. It became fully operational in 2019.
Kiambu Governor James Nyoro presents a dummy cheque to beneficiaries. Photo/Kamau Njoroge. By Kamau Njoroge The Kiambu County Government has disbursed bursaries worth Sh.90 million to some 28,885 needy students. This is on top of an additional 7,000 students in day schools who benefited from scholarships worth Sh.16 million, where each student received up to Sh.10,000. Governor James Nyoro, while issuing cheques to the beneficiaries, said his administration was committed to ensuring that every student gets the opportunity to study without disruption. The governor observed that the needy students will now be in a position to transition from primary to secondary school seamlessly. The county chief, however, noted that to ensure no one was left out, his administration is in the process of establishing a kitty dubbed the Kiambu Education Fund, which will ensure that many students in the county benefit. COAST | TAITA TAVETA
Taita Taveta teachers want some regions declared hardship zones By Tsozungu Kombe The government has been urged to declare Mwatate, Taveta and Wundanyi sub-counties hardship zones for teachers to start receiving hardship allowances. Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Taita Taveta County Executive Sec- Taita Taveta KNUT retary Lennox Mshila Exective secretary said this will motivate Lennox Mshila. teachers. COAST | KILIFI
Over 1,000 teachers needed inKilifi
By Tsozungu Kombe
Malindi and Magarini sub-counties in Kilifi County urgently need over 1,000 primary school teachers in understaffed schools. Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Malindi Malindi KNUT branch Executive Sec- branch Executive retary Fredrick Nguma Secretary Fredrick said the two sub-coun- Nguma. ties are currently facing an acute shortage of staff. Nguma attributed dismal performances in national examinations to lack of teachers. He further asked all education stakeholders in the two sub-counties to ensure they provide essential learning facilities in schools to enable children learn.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
3
EDUCATION NEWS
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Support Teachers seeking elective seats in forthcoming General Elections J
omo Kenyatta, James Gichuru, Jaramogo Oginga Odinga, Dennis Akumu, Argwings Kodhek, Ronald Ngala and Tom Joseph Mboya, among many other eminent Kenyan Pan Africanists who fought for the liberation of Kenya as a country and Africans in Kenya as beneficiaries rose from the representation of workers and work organizations. This is because as a result of having secured the platform of representation, they were placed at a pedestal advantage of meeting many people and would therefore be better placed to articulate people’s agenda and have solutions to their problems generated. This confirms that indeed the leadership of not only Kenya as a country but one of the most respected democracies on the African continent had the role of trade Union leadership clearly recognized. The trade Union leaders therefore are looked upon by their subjects to lead in both generation of ideas, shaping opinion of the society and giving the right direction to people. A good number of our elected teacher leaders in KNUT-KE have given a stab at the 2022 general elections for the leadership of our country. Mutahi Kahiga and Stanley Kiptis of Nyeri and Baringo respectively are sitting governors and defending their positions in this general election.
Yatta KNUT Executive Secretary, Michael Kasimba Ngui.
Tony Nasia, Executive officer, Head Office.
Kilindini KNUT branch Executive Secretary, Dan Aloo.
Mr. Bashir Kilalo, Kwale KNUT Executive Secretary.
Gucha KNUT branch Executive Secretary, Lucy Machuki.
Bungoma East KNUT Executive Secretary Aggrey Namisi.
Turkana County KNUT branch Executive Secretary Mr. Peter Ewaat Longoli.
Branch Executive Secretaries and KNUT Officials seeking Member of Parliament seats in 2022
A good number of our elected teacher leaders in KNUT-KE have given a stab at the 2022 general elections for the leadership of our country. Mutahi Kahiga and Stanley Kiptis of Nyeri and Baringo respectively are sitting governors and defending their positions in this general election. Bashir Kilalo, who is Branch Executive Secretary Msambweni, Dan Aloo; Branch Executive Secretary Kilindini, Kittu
Gwengele; Branch Executive Secretary of Kaloleni, Kasimba Ngui; Branch Executive Secretary of Yatta, Julius Taitumu; Branch
Executive Secretary of Nyambene, Lucy Machuki; Branch Executive Secretary of Gucha, Tonny Nasia; Head Office, Peter Ewaat Longoli;
Branch Executive Secretary of Turkana and Aggrey Namisi; Branch Executive Secretary of Bungoma East, are sitting Executive Secretaries going for Member of Parliament (MP) position this year. Over twenty current and former officials of KNUT are going for Member of County Assembly (MCA) positions. The Secretary General in his circular KNUT/CIRC/122/17/2022 dated May 5, 2022 urged all elected officials seeking elective positions in the coming general elections to apply for leave of absence to allow them go for campaigns as their respective branches remain in operation. This is so that the head office can re-organize the running of the affected branches. This is a clear demonstration that the KNUTKE leadership is committed to supporting our own by allowing ample and sufficient time for campaigns. It is our prayer and belief that when these respected leaders from within ourselves secure these positions, they go a long way in extending and spreading the influence of teachers to these very critical institutions of legislation and decision making in our time. We therefore plead that teachers of Kenya give maximum support to these good men and women from within us so that our voices can be heard directly both through our leaders and elected members in the different portfolios. We also ask our brothers and sisters who will succeed in their bid to secure these positions never to forget where they came from. From the desk of the secretary general KNUT-KE, the entire staff of KNUT-KE, teachers of Kenya and all the friends of teachers; we wish them all success.
KICD releases subjects for Special Needs Learners at Pre-Vocational Level By Roy Hezron The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has developed and adapted ten Learning Areas (Subjects) for learners with special needs at Pre-Vocational Level under the Stage-Based Curriculum of the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). The learners, who will transit to Pre-Vocational Level from the current Intermediate Level in January 2023, will now be taken through Pre-vocational skills, Communication, social and literacy skills, Daily living skills, Mathematics Activities, Music and Movement, Physical and Health Education, Hygiene, Nutrition and safety; Environmental Activities, Social Studies and Religious Education, which will include Christian, Islamic and Hindu Religious Education. According to KICD, the specialized curriculum at the pre-vo-
cational level for learners with special needs, which is predominantly skill-based, prepares learners with disabilities for basic work skills and being introduced to the pre-requisite skills in various vocational areas to enable them identify their abilities and interests in a given field. The learners who will take the Pre-Vocational Level include those with Intellectual disabilities, Deaf-blindness, Autism, Severe Cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities. By the end of Pre-Vocational Level, the learners are expected to be able to demonstrate basic pre-vocational skills using local materials, express themselves through manipulation of varied materials and transform raw materials into functional and aesthetic forms. They are also expected to be able to handle safely varied materials and tools or equipment in pro-
Prof. Charles Ong’ondo, Director KICD. duction of articles of aesthetic and functional value, develop creative ability to enhance productivity and appreciate the use of raw materials in production of functional items for economic development. KICD Basic Education Curriculum Framework (BECF) de-
veloped in 2017 with a special focus on learners’ competencies within their level of ability, aimed at ensuring that learners with severe and profound disabilities who may not pursue the age-based curriculum had a separate stage-based curriculum. The stage-based curriculum is organized into 4 levels. It starts at the Foundational level, then moves to the Intermediate level then the Pre-Vocational level and finally the Vocational skills level. The transitions at other levels of the stagebased pathways are informed by the achievement of the set learning outcomes. A study conducted by the CBC taskforce on enhancing Access, Relevance, Transition, Equity and Quality for Effective Curriculum Reforms Implementation established that out of the 179,320 SNE learners in primary schools, 26,288 are in special primary schools while 153,032 are in
regular primary schools. The study further revealed that 72.6 percent of children with disabilities are in rural and urban informal settlements, which have few or no special schools, but have increased in the number of free day secondary schools available.
Age-based curriculum
For the pioneer CBC class currently in Grade 6 under the agebased curriculum, KICD has developed and adapted 12 core-subjects and 7 optional subjects when they transit to Junior Secondary School (JSS) at Grade 7 in January 2023. At JSS level, a broad-based curriculum is offered to enable learners to explore their own interests and potential as a basis for choosing subjects. The learners will also be taken through a rigorous career and guidance programme to enable them make informed career choic-
es while in senior school. The 12 core subjects provided will be English, Kiswahili or Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), Mathematics, Integrated Science, Health Education, Pre-Technical and Pre-Career Education, Social Studies, Business Studies, Agriculture, Life Skills, Sports and Physical Education and Religious Education (Christian, Islamic or Hindu Religious Education). The 7 optional subjects, where learners choose a minimum of one and a maximum of two according to personality, abilities, interests and career choices, will be Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Home Science, Computer Science, Kenyan Sign Language (KSL), Indigenous Languages or Foreign Languages (German, French, Mandarin or Arabic). The learners, between the ages of 12 and 14 years, will still be undergoing Physical, Cognitive, Social and Emotional development.
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
Counties with highest teenage pregnancies revealed
By Education News Reporter
Data from the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) has revealed that Nairobi, Homa Bay, Kajiado, Mandera and Kakamega counties recorded the highest number of teenage pregnancies in 2021. According to NACC, Nairobi City County had the highest number of pregnant adolescents aged between 10 and14 years (2,332 cases) and 15 and 19 years (12,723 cases) in 2021. Homa Bay, Kajiado and Mandera counties recorded the highest number of pregnant adolescents aged between 10 and 14 years, with data showing the counties recorded 1, 522, 1,493 and 1,370 cases respectively. Kakamega and Meru counties had the highest number of pregnancies of adolescents aged between 15 and 19 years at 11,386 and 10,307 respectively. Taita Taveta (16), Lamu (17) and Mombasa (21) recorded the least cases of pregnancies of adolescents aged between 10 and 14 years while Lamu (608), Taita Taveta (969) and Nyeri (1,438) recorded the least number of adolescent pregnancies aged between 15 and 19 years in the same year. Lack of self-awareness or sex education, peer pressure, poverty, drugs and substance abuse, defilement and early marriages are some of the circumstances that NACC said lead to early pregnancies. NACC advises schools to inform the parent or guardian if they discover a learner is pregnant as soon as possible and put the pregnant learner in a guidance and counseling programme. The Council says the school should also ensure the learner has access to age-appropriate health services such as antenatal care. There should also be document communication with the concerned learner and parents explaining the school re-entry policy. The school, the learner and parents should sign a committal letter for the pregnant learner to re-enter school six months after delivery, the period which provides ample time to nurse the baby. NACC further recommends that learners should be allowed to remain in school as long as possible and be allowed to sit for national examinations if her health condition permits. In Kenya, early pregnancy refers to pregnancy that occurs in the life of a girl below the country’s
Nairobi county recorded the highest number of adolescent pregnancies aged between 10 - 14 years (2,332 pregnancies) and 15 - 19 years (12,723 pregnancies). ADOLESCENTS Adolescents Pregnancy Data 2021 SN
COUNTY NAME
PREGNANCY DATA 2021
ADOLESCENTS PREGNANCIES 10-14 YEARS
15-19 YEARS
1
Nairobi City
2,332
12,723
23
Baringo
270
3,473
2
Homa Bay
1,522
6,472
3
Kajiado
1,493
7,411
4
Mandera
1,370
5,087
24 25 26
Uasin Gishu Turkana Makueni
263 255 246
3,895 5,111 3,550
5
Narok
967
9,746
6
Kericho
906
4,764
27 28 29
Nyamira Nandi Isiolo
229 224 213
3,512 4,232 1,549
7
Kisii
876
7,186
30 31
Nakuru West Pokot
207 207
8,813 6,792
8
Meru
818
10,307
32
Kilifi
177
6,226
9
Machakos
776
4,191
33
Trans Nzoia
173
5,790
10
Bomet
744
7,102
34
Kwale
166
5,115
11
Tana River
640
3,049
35
Kirinyaga
157
1,984
12
Kiambu
541
5,860
36
Marsabit
136
2,798
13
Migori
520
7,141
37
Elgeyo Marakwet
122
2,947
14
Bungoma
455
10,219
38
Nyeri
104
1,438
15
Garissa
395
3,376
39
Laikipia
93
3,123
16
Kakamega
381
11,386
40
Vihiga
63
3,521
17
Busia
368
4,248
18
Siaya
348
5,135
41 42
Tharaka Nithi Nyandarua
62 43
2,234 3,185
19
Kitui
335
5,558
43
Embu
28
1,825
44
Murang'a
27
3,262
20
Samburu
324
3,059
45
Mombasa
21
2,325
21
Wajir
308
2,330
46
Lamu
17
608
22
Kisumu
276
4,971
47
Taita Taveta
16
969
age of consent, which is 18 years. Early pregnancies have been shown to be the main reason for many drop-out cases among adolescent girls. The pregnancies also expose young
RIFT VALLEY | BARINGO
Love for art propels teacher to embroidery business By Talarus Chesang
A Baringo teacher now reaps from making and selling decoration beadworks she personally learned during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. Joyce Chemjor,53, from the remote Kipkaech village in Baringo Central, has managed to display her shining products for sale at a shop in Kabarnet town bus terminus. "I was idle at home during the Corona period, then one day I pumped on a beaded key holder, admired it and immediately developed interest in making a similar item," she said. Chemjor said without hesitation, she went straight to a shop in Marigat town selling beadwork to make a few inquiries. "I settled on buying some few beads of different colors and a fishing line.
Baringo teacher Joyce Chemjor, 53, displays beautifully decorated women handbags in her shop in Kabarnet town. Photo Talarus Chesang
girls to health-related challenges, including mortality and morbidity due to birth-related complications and unsafe abortion.
From then it has been a new experience each day,” she said. She attributes her quick learning to the Art and Craft subject she studied many years ago as an 8-4-4 pupil in upper primary school. Today, the primary school teacher, apart from her monthly salary, earns an extra coin by selling various decorated items like women handbags, serviette and tissue holders, flower vases, bangles, necklaces, headgears, fruit baskets, vehicle steering casements, key holders, men and women belts, among many others. Excited clients now come individually or in groups to buy the items for communal ceremonies such as weddings and church activities. "I sacrifice my time every evening after work, weekends and holidays to do my beadwork, which have so far attracted several customers," she said. Chemjor said it takes creativity, time, patience, energy, and money to venture into the beadwork business. Chemjor buys new ladies bags, improves by decorating them and sells at between 650 and 1800 depending on the sizes, having purchased for between 250 and 400 per bag. She says she has been able to pay her children’s school despite going for small profit margins. However, she decries the unavailability of quality beads in the town, forcing her travel to far-flung places like Nairobi to get the precious raw material. She hopes to produce many of the items and sell them on wholesale both locally and internationally and further establish a local learning centre to train people, especially youth, at a small fee.
BRIEFS COAST | LAMU
900 teachers needed to end understaffing
By Tsozungu Kombe
Lamu County requires 900 teachers to end understaffing in schools, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Lamu Executive Secretary Ibrahim Shaibu has revealed. He said the county Lamu County is facing serious teacher KNUT Executive shortages and pleaded Secretary, Mr. with the government to Ibrahim Shaibu. recruit more and deploy them to the county with a view to filling the gaps. Shaibu further projected serious disruptions of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) if the crisis is not addressed, at the same time blaming poor teacher to student ratios on poor performance in national examinations. EASTERN | EMBU
Relief as 400-bed dormitory to Embu top school opened
By Musyoka Kaleti
Mbeere South MP Geoffrey King’ang’i officially opening the new dormitory funded by the NGCDF at Nyangwa Boys High School. Looking on are the college Principal and BoM Chair. Photo/Musyoka Kaleti
Nyangwa Boys High School in Mbeere South of Embu County has opened a 400-bed capacity dormitory constructed through the constituency’s CDF kitty at a tune of Sh.30 million. Addressing the press after commissioning the dormitory, Mbeere South Member of Parliament Geoffrey King'ang'i said the school had proved itself a centre of excellence and thus the CDF had intervened to improve the infrastructure. King'ang'i noted that the dormitory was the biggest project of the NG-CDF. Joseph Ngeranwa, the school BoM chairman, lauded the Fund under the patronage of the MP, saying it was a big boost as the school. EASTERN | MAKUENI
Schools challenged to produce good results
By Lydia Ngoolo
Makueni Sub-county Director of Education Oduso Magara has encouraged hard work in schools for improved performance. He noted generally that the sub-county performance in exams this year was not satisfactory, but said all education stakeholders were trying to raise the area and the county in general academically. Magara noted that the education directorate had come up with strategies to improve. "Education is the cash crop of this county and Makueni is well known for academic performance. We will make sure we improve even beyond our expectations," he said. He added that the set goals and targets will help them improve and called on all stakeholders to support them. Nevertheless, he said some schools like Mwaani Girls Secondary, St. Marys Kola Girls, Muambani Mixed, and a few others posted good results.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
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EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Rising star Ambira blows records, sends 284 to university from 2021 KCSE
A
By Erick Nyayiera mbira High School in Ugunja, Siaya County, has stamped itself among the best performing secondary schools in Nyanza region owing to its continued stellar show in successive KCSE examinations. In the 2021 KCSE examinations, the school managed to send 284 students directly to universities out of the 310 registered, which was an improvement from the 2020 KCSE examinations when they had 184 achieving the same fete. The school also recorded a mean of 8.46 from the 7.65 recorded in the previous year. The grade distribution was as follows: A (1), A- (14), B+ (56), B (94), B- (76), C+ (39), C (23), C- (4) and D+ (3). The school, with a student population of 1900, continues to attract interest from across the country owing to its rich academic programmes which lay the foundation for good performances. In fact, Ambira High School was position 60 nationally while in Siaya County, it was ranked third after Maranda High and Ugenya High schools. Chief Principal Joseph Otieno has turned around the school’s prospect and placed it among top schools in terms of quality services and prudent management of resources. His leadership style embraces an open-door policy where teachers, students and all stakeholders are afforded space to help in sourcing ideas that improve the school in the best interest of the learner. Since he took over the leadership of the school in 2020, he has introduced a raft of improvement tools that have aided in helping the school record better academic credentials in successive KCSE examinations. Otieno acknowledges the input of his dedicated teachers who have adopted team teaching methodology, which entails a programme where all teachers of the same department cut
Chief Principal, Joseph Otieno. across all classes freely without impediment. This has enabled a smooth rollout of lessons and completion of syllabus in real time to allow a substantial amount of time for thorough revision. He also appreciated his disciplined students who he remarks to have heeded to the call to work hard in school. “The 2021 KCSE performance comparatively means that Ambira High School is a force to reckon with in terms of quality academic programmes. I have my dedicated teaching staff to thank for their tireless efforts in ensuring the learners’ needs are attended to effectively. I must also commend the BoM for their steadfast guidance and support, including the Ministry of Education, TSC and all the relevant stakeholders,” he said. He stated that his teaching staff did a lot of re-teaching in key areas of subjects based on how they are examined in KCSE examinations. “We came up with a special programme of top 50 students where we let them remain in school when others went home. We also developed another known as ‘tail management’ for the weak students which helped a lot because eventually only 3 can-
didates had grade D+,” he recounted. He added that to reach the mean of 8.4, they had a roadmap which entailed a series of ten examinations where the candidates kept improving till the final KCSE exams. The Chief Principal has been a KNEC marker for KCSE spanning over 30 years and has a rich history of good performance after recording marvelous results in his former work stations, which includes Obambo Secondary School, a district school that always featured in the top 10 rankings in its category from 2001 to 2003. He also became the principal at Otieno Oyoo Boys Secondary School, where he registered an all-time high mean before being transferred to Onjiko High School to top the Nyando region, among a host of other achievements. In the year 2009, owing to his positive track record, he was selected to represent the East Africa region at a
Students taking exams.
Deputy Principal Academics, Bernard Nateminya.
Acting Deputy Principal Administration and Director of Studies Osinde Elphas.
AMBIRA HIGH SCHOOL
P.O.BOX 1 - 40606, UGUNJA | TEL: 0701 460 237, 0739 442 063 | EMAIL: ambirahigh@gmail.com
KCSE 2020 2021
ENTRY 242 310
Inspirational messages in the school compound.
Staff Room
MEAN GRADE 7.65 8.46
KCSE 2022 mean target.
World Leadership Conference in Singapore. “When I came to Ambira Boys, I quickly instituted a Senior Management Team where we would meet thrice a week. In the meetings, I would sell the ideas to the team and draw implementation plans. Firstly, I purposed to undertake a complete rebranding of our classes which had drab tags of green, yellow and red colours. I wanted more inspiring symbols, and it was easy to settle on Champions Class, Kings Class, Achievers Class, Heroes Class, Victors Class, and so on. In this strategy, learners are classified based on their abilities to make teachers redirect energies appropriately,” he clarified. Mr. Otieno also introduced the policy of practicals where the weekends were reserved for them. “We would also have guest speakers and mentors on compulsory subjects like Mathematics, Biology, English and Kiswahili, besides motivational excursions for our top performers where we organized special luncheons for them. These strategies worked well for us,” he continued. The Chief Principal, who teach-
es CRE, also introduced ‘Mobile Library’ in the school. The package of the mobile library include past papers questions and their answers for their revision. To cure the possible indiscipline cases, key strategies include conducting regular barazas where students are able to share their experiences and teachers give immediate feedback to help arrest any possible breach of normalcy. The school also has a well instituted Guidance and Counselling Department, which helps address students’ psychological and emotional problems. On infrastructural improvements, the Chief Principal is currently putting up a modern storey tuition complex which already has four classes in use and will be completed by end of August 2022. When completed, the ultra- modern tuition complex will host 10-12 classrooms. He also intends to construct 3 Science laboratories. He has also done construction of additional dormitories that now hosts over 600 students. “When I arrived here, I inherited a debt of over 34 million shillings which has made it a nightmare paying the service providers and suppliers. I know it is not easy but I have the resolve to juggle the developments and the academic improvements,” summed an optimistic Otieno.
School gate.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
6
FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING FOR COLLEGES & VARSITIES
Thika TTI crowned best tertiary institution in performance contracting ratings The administrator attributed the impressive performance to the high level of dedication, team work and commitment among the staff members and students.
T
By Our Reporter hika Technical Training Institute has been crowned the best performing tertiary institution in Kenya during the 2020/2021 public service performance evaluations done by the Public Service Performance Management and Monitoring Unit (PSPMMU) through the Government Performance Contracting Information System (GPCIS). The institution had a composite score of 2.4376 and was followed closely by Katine TTI and the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic in the second and third positions respectively with composite scores of 2. 5255 and 2. 5544 respectively. The three institutions,
Graduands of Thika Technical Training Institute during the 8th graduation ceremony.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Enhancement of networks, partnerships and collaborations with public and private sectors. alongside other seven in the top ten category, were placed in the “Very Good” category. The management,staff and students at the institution couldn’t hide their joy at such good news. The institution’s good ranking can also be partly
Institute’s Administration Block.
attributed to its good performance in KATTI TVET sports. They all attributed the impressive performance to the high level of dedication, team work and commitment among the staff members and students. “We did exceptionally well in the performance contracting evaluations because our staff is high-
ly committed and our students are very disciplined and hardworking. This has given us ample time to concentrate on our core business which is training,” the administrators said. They revealed that the institution had developed master plans which would guide infrastructural development over the next 25 years.
The institution currently has a student population of over 11, 000. The institution also enhanced networks, partnerships and collaborations with the public and private sectors. “We are currently collaborating with GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation) to establish a Centre of Excellence in Autobody Technology in our institution. Plans are also underway to put up an Autobody Technology Complex,” revealed the administrators. Thika TTI is a Centre of Excellence in Automotive Technology and Mechanical Engineering courses. The institution dates back to 1949 when it was started as a vocational training centre. Over the past few years, the institution has mentored other upcoming Technical and Vocational Colleges (TVCs), which include; Murang’a, Kiharu, Gichugu and Mwea TVCs. Murang’a and Mwea TVCs are fully operational while Kiharu and Gichugu are nearing completion.
Dr. Margaret Mwakima, Principal Secretary for Vocational and Technical Training, presents a certificate to Thika TTI best student during the 8th graduation ceremony at the institution.
Tel Numbers: 020 - 2044965/0740150798/0741514519 Email: thikatech@yahoo.com, Website: www.thikatechnical.ac.ke EDUCATION NEWS
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
7
FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE CONTRACTING FOR COLLEGES & VARSITIES MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, STATE DEPARTMENT FOR VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING`
COURSES STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2022 THIKA TECHNICAL TRAINING INSTITUTE Applications are invited for the courses outlined below: Tel Numbers: 020 - 2044965/0740150798/0741514519 Email: thikatech@yahoo.com, Website: www.thikatechnical.ac.ke
Applications are invited for the courses outlined below:
COURSE
1 (a) 1. 2.
3.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING -SECTION Diploma in Automotive Engineering KCSE C- (Minus) and above Module 1 Autobody Building and Welding Technician- KCSE C-(Minus) and above Level 6 successful interview with the cooperating companies.
DURATION
MODE OF STUDY
EXAM BODY
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
3 Years
Regular Dual Training
CDACC
KCSE D (Plain) and above
1Year
Regular
KNEC
4.
Craft in Automotive Engineering – Module 1 Artisan in Automotive Engineering
KCSE D-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
5.
Automotive Technician level 5
KCSE D and above
2 Years
Regular
CDACC
6.
Driving Course
18 Years and above
2 months
Short course
NTSA
(b)
AGRICULTURAL MECHANICS-SECTION
1.
Diploma in Agricultural Engineering -TEP
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
3 Years
Regular
KNEC
2.
D plain Or Pass in Artisan In Agricultural Mechanics. D- (Minus) and above
2 Years
Regular
KNEC
3.
Craft Certificate in Agricultural Engineering -TEP Artisan in Agricultural Mechanics -TEP
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
(c)
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING-SECTION
1.
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Plant) Module 1 Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Production)- Module 1 Certificate in Mechanical Engineering – Module 1
KCSE C- (Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
KCSE C- (Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
KCSE D (Plain) and above Or 1 Year Pass in Artisan In General Filter. KCSE D (Plain) and above 1 Year
Regular
KNEC
Regular
KNEC
KCSE D- (Minus) and above
1 year
Regular
CDACC
KCSE D (Plain) and above
2 Years
Regular
CDACC
2. 3. 4. 5.
Certificate in Welding and Fabrication – Module 1 Manual Metal Arch Welding Level - 4
6.
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Level -5
Cont next Page...
TechnologyTechnology- Module Module 11 4. 4.
8
Diploma Diploma in in Chemical Chemical Engineering Engineering -TEP -TEP
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
33 Years Years
6. LIBERAL 6. LIBERAL STUDIES STUDIES DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT EDUCATION NEWS
FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
1. 1.
Diploma Diploma in in Community Community Development Development Module Module KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above 11 CONTRACTING FOR COLLEGES & VARSITIES
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
2. 2.
Diploma Diploma in in CounsellingCounselling- Module Module 11
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
3. 3.
Diploma Diploma in in Child Child Care Care and and ProtectionProtection- Module Module KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above 11
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
4. 4.
Diploma Diploma in in Counseling Counseling -Module -Module 11
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
5. 5.
Craft Craft Certificate Certificate in in Community Community Development Development and and Social Social workwork- TEP TEP
KCSE KCSE D D and and above above
22 years years
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
KCSE KCSE D D and and above above
11 year year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
2 1.
BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT Diploma in Architecture -Module 1 KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
2.
Diploma in Civil Engineering- Module 1
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
3.
Diploma in Building Construction -Module 1
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
4.
Diploma in Quantity Surveying-TEP
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
3 Years
Regular
KNEC
6. 6.
Craft Craft Certificate Certificate in in ChildCare ChildCare and and ProtectionProtectionModule Module 11
5.
Quantity Surveying Level 6
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
3 years
Regular
CDACC
7. 7.
INFORMATION INFORMATION COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY
1. 1.
Diploma Diploma in in Information Information Communication Communication Technology Technology -Module -Module 11
KCSE KCSE CC- (Minus (Minus and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
2. 2.
Diploma Diploma in in Information Information Studies Studies –– Module Module 11
KCSE KCSE CC- (Minus (Minus and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
3. 3.
Certificate Certificate in in Information Information Communication Communication Technology Technology -Module -Module 11
KCSE KCSE D D (Plain) (Plain) and and above above
11 Years Years
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
4. 4.
Certificate Certificate in in Information Information Studies Studies –– Module Module 11
KCSE KCSE D D (Plain) (Plain) and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
5. 5.
Diploma Diploma in in Information Information Communication Communication TechnologyTechnology- level level 66
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
33 years years
Regular Regular
CDACC CDACC
6. 6.
Diploma Diploma in in Library Library and and Information Information ScienceSciencelevel level 66 Craft Craft Certificate Certificate in in Information Information Communication Communication Technology-Level Technology-Level 55
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
33 Years Years
Regular Regular
CDACC CDACC
KCSE KCSE D D (Plain) (Plain) and and above above
22 years years
Regular Regular
CDACC CDACC
Craft KCSE Craft Certificate Certificate in in Library Library and and Information Information KCSE D D (Plain) (Plain) and and above above Science-level Science-level 55 ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL AND AND ELECTRONICS ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT
22 years years
Regular Regular
CDACC CDACC
Diploma Diploma in in Electrical Electrical and and Electronics Electronics (power)(power)Module Module 11
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
11 Year Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
6.
2 Years
Regular
KNEC
7. 2 1. 3. 2. 1. 3.
KCSE D (Plain) and aboveOr Pass in Artisan In Plumbing. Craft Certificate in CIVIL Building Technology- DEPARTMENT KCSE D (Plain) and aboveOr BUILDING AND ENGINEERING Module Pass in C-(Minus) Artisan In and Masonry. Diploma1in Architecture -Module 1 KCSE above BUSINESS STUDIES DEPARTMENT Diploma in Civil Engineering- Module 1 KCSE C-(Minus) and above Diploma in Supply Chain Management KCSE C-(Minus) and above Module Diploma1in Building Construction -Module 1 KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
1 Year 1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC KNEC
2. 4.
Diploma in Business Management -Diploma Module in 1 Quantity Surveying-TEP
KCSE C-(Minus) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year 3 Years
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
3. 5.
Diploma Human Resource Quantity in Surveying Level 6 ManagementModule 1
KCSE KCSE C-(Minus) C-(Minus) and and above above
13 Year years
Regular Regular
KNEC CDACC
6. 4.
Craft Certificate Plumbing-TEP Diploma in Salesinand Marketing -Module 1
Years 12 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
7. 5.
1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
KCSE C-(Minus) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
8. 8.
KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
8. 8.
KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
9. 4.
Craft Certificate in Building TechnologyDiploma Module 1in Project Management -Module 1 BUSINESS STUDIES DEPARTMENT Diploma in Secretarial Studies -Module 1 Diploma in Supply Chain Management Module 1 Certificate in Supply Chain Management Diploma1in Business Management Module - Module 1 Certificate in Business Management- Module 1Diploma in Human Resource ManagementModule 1 Certificate in Human Resource Management Diploma 1in Sales and Marketing -Module 1 -Module
KCSE C-(Minus) D (Plain) and KCSE andaboveOr above Pass in Artisan In Plumbing. KCSE D (Plain) and aboveOr KCSE above Pass inC-(Minus) Artisan In and Masonry.
KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
10. 5.
Certificate in Sales and Marketing – Module 1Diploma in Project Management -Module 1
KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
11. 6. 12. 13. 7. 14.
Single & Group in Secretarial Studies Diploma in Secretarial Studies -Module 1 Certificate in Accounting Management Skills Accounting Technician Diploma Certificate in Supply Chain Management Artisan Module in 1 Office Assistance- level 4
KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE D-(Minus) and above
2 Years 1 Year 1 Semester 1 Semester 1Year 1 year
Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC KASNEB KASNEB KNEC CDACC
8. 4.
Certificate in Business Management- Module 1 HEALTH SCIENCES
KCSE D (Plain) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
9. 1.
Certificate Human Resource Management Diploma in in Pharmaceutical Technology-TEP -Module 1
Year 31 Years
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
9.
OPEN DISTANCE & FLEXIBLE LEARNING
10.
Certificate in Sales and Marketing – Module 1
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
1.
Certified Human Resource Professional
11. 2. 12. 13.
Single & Group in Secretarial Studies Diploma in in Food Processing TechnologySkills Certificate Accounting Management Module 1 Technician Diploma Accounting
2 Years 11 Year Semester 1 Semester
Regular Regular Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC KASNEB KASNEB
2
Diploma in Human Resource and ManagementModule 1,11 & 111
14. 3
Artisan in Office Assistance- level 4 Diploma in Food and Beverage Module 1
KCSE CD(Plain) (Plain)and andabove above KCSE C (plain) with C in Maths/Physics C and above KCSE D (Plain) English/Kiswahili C Biology/Bio Sciences C KCSE D (Plain) and above Chemistry C KCSE andabove above KCSE C-(Minus) D (Plain) and or KNEC Certificate Food KCSE C-(Minus) andinabove Processing KCSE D-(Minus) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 year 1 Year
Regular Regular
CDACC KNEC
3
Diploma in Social Work and Community Development – Module 1,11 & 111
4.
HEALTH SCIENCES
4
Diploma in Business Management 1,11 & 111
1.
Diploma in Pharmaceutical Technology-TEP
5
Diploma in Supply Chain Management – Module 1,11& 111
3. 6. 1. 7. 2. 8. 3.
Craft Certificate in Plumbing-TEP
Page 2 of 5
7. 7.
1. 1. 2. 2. 3.
5.
Artisan in Electrical Installation -TEP
KCSE D (plain) and aboveor a pass in Artisan in Electrical Installation. KCSE D (plain) and above a pass in Artisan in Electrical Installation KCSE D-(Minus) and above
6.
Electrical Engineering level 6
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
3 Years
Regular
CDACC
7.
Electrical Installation level 5
KCSE D(Plus) and above
2 Years
Regular
CDACC
Page 33 of PageCertificate of 55 in Electrical and Electronics
4.
(Telecommunication) Module 1
3 Years
Regular
KNEC
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
6 7
Diploma in Information Studies Module 1 Certificate in Information Studies
KCSE C-(Minus) and above KCSE D (Plain) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
8
Certificate in Human Resource and Management –Module 1 Certificate in Social Work and Community Development Certificate in Human Resource Management Module 1 Certified Information Security ManagerModule 1 and 11
KCSE D(Plain) and above or pass/refer in previous module KCSE D (Plain) and above
KCSE D (Plain) and above
13
Certificate in Supply Chain Management – Module 1, and 11 Certificate in Business Management Module 1
Diploma in Food Processing Technology Module 1
3
Diploma in Food and Beverage Module 1
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
4
Certificate in Food Processing and Preservation Module 1 Certificate in Food and Beverage - Module 1
KCSE D (Plain) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
9
KCSE D (Plain) and above
1Year
Regular
KNEC
10
Page 2 of 5
11
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
1 year
Regular
KNEC
National Higher Diploma/Diploma/Certificate in Human Resource KCSE C- (Minus) and above or pass/refer in previous module KCSE C- (Minus) and above or pass/refer in previous module KCSE C- (Minus) and above or pass/refer in previous module KCSE C-(Minus) & above and above or pass/refer in previous module
KCSE C (Plain) and above C (plain) with C in Maths/Physics C English/Kiswahili C Biology/Bio Sciences C Chemistry C KCSE C-(Minus) and above or KNEC Certificate in Food Processing
2.
5.
Diploma Diploma in in Electrical Electrical and and Electronics Electronics (Telecommunication) (Telecommunication) Certificate in Electrical and Electronics (power)-Module 1
KCSE D (Plain) and above KCSE D (Plain) and above
6 Months
Online
HRMPE P
6 Months per Module
Online
KNEC
6 Months per Module
Online
KNEC
6 Months per Module
Online
KNEC
1 Year for Module 1and 6 Months per Module for Modules 2 &3 1 Year 6 Months per Module 6 Months per Module 2 Years
Online
KNEC
Online Online
KNEC KNEC
Online
KNEC
Online
KNEC
6 Months per Module 6 Months per Module
Online
KNEC
Online
KNEC
6 Months per Module 6 Months per Module
Online
KNEC
Online
KNEC
5.
APPLIED SCIENCES
1.
Diploma in Applied Biology -Module 1
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
2.
Diploma in Analytical Chemistry -Module 1
KCSE C-(Minus) and above Or Pass in Science Laboratory Technology. KCSE D (Plain)
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
10.
AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
3 Years
Regular
KNEC
1.. 2.
Diploma in General Agriculture -Module 1 Diploma in Entrepreneurial Agriculture Module 1
KCSE C-(Minus) and above KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year 1 Year
Regular Regular
KNEC KNEC
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
3.
Diploma in Environmental Science and Technology -Module 1 Craft Certificate in General Agriculture TEP
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
2 Years
Regular
KNEC
3.
Craft Certificate in Science Laboratory Technology- Module 1
4.
Diploma in Chemical Engineering -TEP
6.
LIBERAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT
1.
Diploma in Community Development Module 1
2.
Diploma in Counselling- Module 1
4. 5. 6. 7. 1.
KCSE C-(Minus) and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
4.
KCSE D (Plain) and above
KCSE D (Plain) and above or Pass in Artisan 5. Artisan in Agribusiness Management - level 1 KCSE D- (Minus) and below Diploma in Child Care and Protection- Module KCSE C-(Minus) and above 1 Year Regular KNEC Female students are encouraged to apply for Science, Engineering and Technology 1 courses. Diploma in Counseling -Moduleare 1 KCSE C-(Minus) and above 1 Year Engineering Regular and Technology KNEC Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the programmes. Female students encouraged to apply for Science, courses. Those interested may visit the institute during working hours for more inquiries. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply for the programmes. Tel. Number 020-2044965/0740150798/0741514119 CraftThose Certificateinterested in Community may Development KCSE D and above 2 years Regular KNEC visit the institute during working hours for more inquiries. Email: thikatechnical@gmail.com, Website: and Social work- TEP www.thikatechnical.ac.ke/registrar@thikatechnical.ac.ke CraftTel. Certificate in ChildCare and ProtectionKCSE D and above 1 year Regular KNEC Number: 020-2044965/0740150798/0741514119 Page 4 of 5 Module 1 Email: thikatechnical@gmail.com
CONTACT:
3.
12
SEPT. INTAKE NG!! ONGOI
Website:COMMUNICATION www.thikatechnical.ac.ke/registrar@thikatechnical.ac.ke INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Diploma in Information Communication Technology -Module 1
KCSE C- (Minus and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
2.
Diploma in Information Studies – Module 1
KCSE C- (Minus and above
1 Year
Regular
KNEC
3.
Certificate in Information Communication
KCSE D (Plain) and above
1 Years
Regular
KNEC
1 Year Regular KNEC All letters to be addressed to: The principal Thika Technical Training Institute P.O BOX 91 – 01000
All letters to be addressed to: The principal, Thika Technical Training Institute, P.O BOX 91 – 01000. THIKA.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
9
EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Ngata Secondary holds an awards ceremony, aims higher in 2022 KCSE
Principal, Naomi Kamunjeru Mwangi. By Peter Otouro
N
gata Secondary School held a colourful prize giving ceremony to award the top ten students in 2021 KCSE exams. Speaking during the joyful event, the school Principal Naomi Kamunjeru Mwangi expressed pride at the perfor-
Deputy Principal, Mr. Stephen Njoroge.
Principal Naomi Kamunjeru Mwangi with the best performing students. mance of last year’s class, saying the school was ranked first among 40 subcounty schools in Rongai Sub-county. “I can also proudly say that has been the case over the last three years,” she added. Mwangi revealed that the best student Emily Lokiyamae scored B plain, Enock Bosire also scored B, Emmanuel Korir scored B-, among others. “As a token of appreciation, the best two students have been given laptops and other things for use in their university education. 12 teachers have also been awarded based on their subject performance,” she said. Mwangi thanked all teachers led by her deputy Mr Stephene Njoroge for their cooperation and team work that has made the school shine. “The team of teachers has been very dedicated towards helping the students. Since 2016, when I handled the first KCSE class, the number of students attaining direct university ad-
The best student Emily Lokiyamae receiving an award.
mission has increased I therefore call upon education stakefrom 2 to 10 in 2021 KCSE,” she said. The principal said through God’s holders to assist in infrastructural degrace, constant prayer, cooperation velopment,” she added. Nakuru County Public Service among teachers and discipline and Board Secretary Charles Kimiiru, the hardworking students, they are aiming to attain a mean of 5.54 in 2022 KCSE Guest Speaker at the event, thanked all of last year’s candidates for their good up from 4.04 in 2021. “We have 74 students who will sit performance and urged them to continthe exams and we are confident they’ll ue excelling in their academics. He also urged the 2022 KCSE cando well,” she said. didates to work hard to excel in their Mwangi thanked parents for their cooperation and support that has enabled the smooth running of the school’s programmes. Mwangi revealed that the school does not have enough science laboratories, classrooms and a library. “We also have water shortage and Students during the prize giving day.
Reprieve for varsities in training of post-graduate Law students By Roy Hezron Law students can now breathe a sigh of relief after the Cabinet approved the proposal to decentralize the provision of the Advocates Training Programme (ATP), which will see them being reprieved from the monopoly of the Kenya School of Law (KSL) in offering post-graduate training. The new bill passed by Cabinet on May 12, 2022 during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta seeks to address challenges occasioned by the large number of students undertaking the mandatory post-graduate programme only at the Kenya School of Law. “In regard to legal education and training, Cabinet approved the proposal to decentralise the provision of the Advocates Training Programme so as to address challenges occasioned by large number of students undertaking the mandatory post-graduate programme only at the Kenya School of Law,” read a dispatch to media houses. If the proposals will fully be enacted into law, both public and private universities which will meet the set guidelines and requirements put in place by the Council of Legal Education (CLE) will be accredited to allow them offer the post-graduate training programme, the ATP, which is currently being offered only by the Kenya School of Law. Legal practitioners at KSL have called for the decentralisation of the ATP, citing
Kenya School of Law.
congestion at the institution considering the big number of courses for its students. The ATP is conducted in 18 months; 12 months in-house and 6 months pupilage. Teaching in the Advocates’ Training Programme (the ATP) is conducted on a clinical basis. The ATP programme is designed to equip lawyers with the practical skills required by the profession as mandated by the Kenya School of Law Act, 2012 and the Advocates Act Cap16. The programme fills the gap for practical and clinical experiential training that prepares the lawyers for effective legal practice. The meeting also approved the Kenya School of Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for tabling in Parliament, which will now mandate the Council of Legal Education
(CLE) to determine the admission requirements to all Law programmes including the ATP, a role that is currently being done by KSL. “Section 16 of the Kenya School of Law Act 2012, is amended by deleting the words ‘set out in the Second Schedule for that Course’ and substituting the words ‘prescribed by the Council of Legal Education under Section 8(3)(a) of the Legal Education Act, 2012 for that Course’,” reads the amendment bill in part. The new Bill [the Kenya School of Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021] now seeks to delete all the sections that mandate KSL to determine admission criteria, for instance in Section 16 and Second schedule of the mother Act, the Kenya School of Law Act 2012; and places the role on
CLE. Currently, the KSL sets the admission requirement to the ATP, a situation that has put KSL and Law students seeking admission for post-graduate training in continuous court battles. In 2019, such efforts by the National Assembly through the then Leader of Majority Aden Duale to try and cure the stalemate through Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill 2019 failed to be passed by legislators in the National Assembly. The miscellaneous amendments were meant to amend among others the Legal Education Act 2012 and Kenya School of Law Act 2012 with an aim of ending the KSL monopoly of the training in Kenya by amending Section 4 of the KSL Act to allow other institutions to offer the programme. If the amendment could have been passed by then, CLE could have enjoyed the mandate currently being enjoyed by KSL of administering pre-bar examination, which is an examination offered to LLB graduates from foreign universities. Last year 2021, KSL in a joint report with Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KiPPRA), in a report titled Factors Influencing Students’ Performance in the Kenyan Bar Examination and Proposed Intervention dated September 2019, come up with a number of recommendations that will help in reducing high number of students failing in the Bar Examinations. Key among them being reviewing of the entry grade for those studying Law in various universities since the study found out that among other factors influencing students’ performance in Kenyan Bar Examinations at undergraduate (university) level is the admissions criteria for the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B); with the study finding a strong correlation between
studies. “I challenge you to work hard. We want to celebrate you like we are celebrating the 2021 class,” said Kimiiru. Kimiiru urged the parents to provide necessary financial and moral support in order to boost the students’ performance. The school’s Board of Management (BoM) Chair Charles Chepkwony thanked the school principal for her cooperation with the Board for initiating various school projects. He also thanked parents for supporting the school’s programmes. Ngata Secondary School opened its doors to the first batch of students in 2011. The school has a student population of 460 and 15 teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and 5 employed by the BoM. The school motto is ‘Elimu ni Ngao’; its vision is to offer a holistic education for sustainable development while its mission is to equip all students with education and skills that will enhance their lifelong relevance.
School compound. students’ performance in the Bar examinations and performance at high school (KCSE, IGCSE, GCE, IB and A level grades). “An analysis of student high school grades against their performance in the Bar examinations indicated that students with higher high school grades have consistently performed better in the Bar examinations compared to students with lower high school grades,” reads the report. The report also recommended that students need to have adequate time with the course material by having opportunities to receive more diverse or longer professional experience while at university by expanding their work opportunities beyond judicial attachment and facilitating opportunities for acquiring experience in legal practice. The report noted that the judicial attachment at university level ought to be complemented by work experience in a law firm or organizations undertaking legal practice, where such apprenticing will enable students to likely receive adequate practical exposure to facilitate their preparation for pupillage during the Advocates’ Training Programme. The report further recommended quality of legal education at university be improved whereby while at university, students should undertake an attachment in a law firm or organization with a legal practice department, besides the judicial attachment. There is need for exchange programmes to be introduced within universities to expose students to various jurisdictions and learning environments. The report further recommended the decentralization of KSL services subject to availability of resources and funding to accommodate the high number of entrants to the ATP.
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
EDITORIAL Parents should be empowered to boost the 100 percent transition drive The Ministry of Education’s sustained push for 100 percent transition of pupils who sit the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations is an initiative worth supporting. That the larger stakeholder community – parents, guardians, teachers, Non-Governmental Organisations and the private sector - has readily and willingly tagged along is very appealing. According to Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha, the 100 percent transition policy continues to register an impressive progress, with a reported transition rate to secondary schools standing at 98 percent after intermittent mop ups. However, the CS still feels parental attitude and poverty remain the foremost hindrance to the remaining uptake. Even with the highly publicised campaigns, it is argued the government, in its current form, is lacking in requisite capitation to mount a successful exercise. The CS, for instance, has often reiterated the government’s commitment in supporting learners in secondary schools despite challenges of inadequate infrastructure in some learning institutions. True, county governments and private businesses like Equity Bank and Co-operative Bank have continued to complement the national government efforts to attain the 100 percent transition rate, issuing needy learners with scholarships and upkeep materials. But such collaborative initiatives are far from sufficient. Overall, a secondary education levels the field of opportunity for young people and increases their chances of earning higher incomes and thereby attaining a higher standard of living. By and large, the education ministry’s subsequent drive to reach out to parents across the country in a bid to ensure that all children successfully transitioned were met with monumental challenges including poverty, poor parental attitudes and ad hoc policy implementation. Other than stimulating an attitude shift in parents, particularly towards their children’s education, it is important that the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with NGOs, develops programmes that can empower the parents financially to keep their children in school. Education stakeholders in both the public and private sector need to work in close partnership to seek better ways of providing scholarships for those children who are in need of school fees support. The lessons learned from successful intervention mechanisms can be adopted and scaled up by both the public and private sectors in order to provide relief to parents facing financial challenges.
Focus on 2014 top KCPE Schools - Pages
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OPINIONS & COMMENTARIES BASIC EDUCATION
G
The simple secret to turning around school mean scores
reat culture, tradition, programmes and systems make up a school. In relation to systems, secondary schools should focus on effective teaching, and monitoring and evaluation; this last bit explaining the need for candidates to sit several exams before the actual one. Based on high school content mastery retention, lecture method of teaching accounts for 5 percent, reading notes 10 percent, audio-visual support 20 percent, demonstration 30 percent, and discussion accounts for 50 percent. Practise through exams account for 75 percent as peer teaching and presentation takes the lion’s share; at 90 percent. In relation to Best Academic Practices (BAP), if exams account for 75 percent, then it means that schools should put plenty of practice on tests and trials. Schools that blaze the academic trail run effective examination systems. They blend teaching with a lot of exams. Ideally, schools should identify the bunch of exams to be served to the candidates throughout the rigorous academic year. If possible, the candidates are adequately prepared if they sit several serious exams in their fourth form; including past KCSE papers. In the Masterclass KCSE Blueprint, Paul Wanyonyi posits: the number of complete exams done and revised always equal the school mean. It is paramount to note that exams should not just be done for formality purposes. The internal quality and standards team should ensure that every exam meets the frameworks of Bloom’s Taxonomy that all exams must be marked, results released, and revised in an in-depth manner.
Victor Ochieng’ The writer rolls out Academic Improvement Programmes through talks and training services. vochieng.90@gmail.com. Exam results must be analysed to help the concerned parties identify the glaring gaps. It behooves every school to develop departmental analysis of exams containing well-thought-out mitigation measures and action plans. Every exam should help candidates read more, revise more, and garner more examination skills. In the whole scheme of things, the examination department should ensure that every exam achieves a specified objective: mastery of the art of exams. Therefore, administration of exams, and how it should be done, is the engine. Let there be Random Assessment Tests (RATs). This should basically test simple areas like Form 1 and 2 content. This is the best way to ground the candidates on the mastery of content and concepts tested in exams plucked from lower forms. It is also one of the strategies schools employ to help weak candidates leg up their dismal academic performance in
all the examinable subjects. RATs can be served in the morning and evening. Monthly exams can also be scheduled, perhaps in the last week. These should be complete exams that are loyal to the Bloom’s Taxonomy, which is students’ ability to recall, comprehend, apply, analyse, synthesise, and evaluate. This way, they will not be caught flatfooted when they eventually meet standard questions in the final exams. Another trick is to administer group exams during lessons or preps. This should be taken from top schools with rich academic histories. Learners can also be engaged in designing marking schemes. Allow them to use approved course books to get accurate responses. Caution, however, must be advised on over-reliance on revision books because some of them present erroneous content. Inter-class competitions and contests are equally effective. Teachers can ensure that all the exams done by the lower classes are also done by the Form Fours. It will be fun to rank all of them on one roll. For self-evaluation, candidates can be challenged to set their own exams. Let them attempt and revise them. Quality quizzes can take the form of problematic topics from which questions are drawn. There should also be topical evaluations set by teachers to assess whether students have conceptualised topics taught. In addition, it is imperative for schools to engage in joint exams with neighbouring or top schools as monthly examination. It is a practice common in many schools and many more should adopt it.
Dear readers: Kindly send your observations or views on topical education matters to news@educationnews. co.ke. Note that the Editor reserves right to edit your articles for purposes of clarity and precision.
OPINION
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
Learning Science needs to integrate discovery processes
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lthough science subjects are compulsory from primary to secondary and many student are pursuing science and related courses at institutions of higher learning, the impact of science is yet to meet its expectations in Kenya. There is a disconnect between theory and application. Although Kenya is making many strides in scientific and technological innovations and value addition, there are yet many bridges to be crossed, walls to be brought down and dots to join to make it to the league of industrialist economies. How science and mathematics are taught will determine how long it will take Kenya to move to the next orbit of development. “Most teachers agree that they are teaching vocabulary and facts of science but are uncomfortable with the ‘hands-on’ aspects of the subject,” says Dr Robert Boran, a physicist-cum-educationist, adding: “There is no activity-oriented science-learning in classroom.” Visiting many Kenyan schools and institutions of higher learning, it is evident that they are hardly equipped for the teaching of science; thus students are robbed of an opportunity to study science as an adventure of experimentation and discovery. What is wrong with teaching science as “facts”? Dr Boram pauses. “Computer Science books are usually out of date by the time they are published. Much of what we know about human psychology is being revised and updated. Therefore, teaching just facts of science is truly impossible.” Part of the problem may be we misunderstand what science really is. Albert Einstein stated that ‘the object of all science is to coordinate our experiences and bring them into a logical system’. In other words, science is the attempt to make sense of our experiences and observations. Neils Bohr, a Danish physicist who contributed to the understanding of an atomic structure and quantum theory, stated that the task of science is to both extend the range of our experiences and reduce it to order. According to the Journal of Research in Science Teaching, science teaching should include making observations, taking AY ’S RS DE A RE
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EDUCATION NEWS
Robert Onsare The Writer is a trainer at Kisii National Polytechnic, Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department and a post graduate student at Multimedia University of Kenya and Kisii University. Contact: robert.onsare@gmail.com measurements and collecting, organizing, and interpreting additional data. Such activities, under the guidance of the teacher, can lead to facts, principles, laws, and generalizations that scientist have established. Most schools deprive students an opportunity to do science. Henri Poincare, a French scientist and mathematician, stated that ‘science is built up with facts as a house is with stones, but a collection of facts is no more a science than a heap of stones.” Students need experience and observation to provide a framework for the science class. “The teacher must set up an opportunity to undertake science as a quest for knowledge,” Dr Boran says. “This means providing students with materials and directions so they can collect data that will allow them to discover various concepts in science.” He adds that teachers should view science less as a search for ‘right’ answers and more as a thrill-of-the-chase adventure. In the book Science and Children, it is suggested that the teacher should not try to explain phenomena. In fact, it would be better for students try to explain what they observe and experience.
FEEDBACK COLUMN On TSC revision of rigid transfer rules
Okworo Douglas: Bravo TSC! In Nyamira county, promotions are done through bribes hence disadvantaging those who can’t give out bribes. Peter Mithamo: I would like to understand how transfers work. When one does it online, there get acknowledgement or regret letters three months later yet when a head teacher gives out your name for transfer from HIS or HER school, it's done immediately.
On faulting of CBC training of teachers by parliamentary commission Jackie Marangu: The government can select some few schools where CBC is taught so parents can decide where to take their children. Lydiah N. Kinyanjui: We should have integrated CBC contents into the 8-4-4 system instead of changing the whole system. Beatrice Odhiambo: CBC and 8-4-4 are both good. The only challenge in third world countries is inadequacy of resources for proper implementation as expected.
EASTERN | MACHAKOS
The teacher can be quite comfortable and effective by helping the students to make objective observations, keep records, and communicate to others what they have done and discovered. Helping students observe facts, even if these contradict preconceived notions, can be the point for further investigation, questioning, and experimental designs. “The teacher’s role is both vital and subtle. The teachers must prepare and organize materials, as well as data sheets and directions, for the student investigation. Once the students begin investigation, the teacher should serve as a facilitator for data collection,” adds Dr Boran, a former physics curriculum instructor for the National Science Foundation’s Honors Workshops for Secondary Teachers. The professor further explains that science activities need not be a separate part of the curriculum. “They can be integrated into other subjects because each discovery activity provides experiences about which the student can write. Science activities can also become a springboard for the whole language reading lesson,” he says. An Educational Theory Base for Science Teaching says classroom science activities require both the students and the teacher to engage in investigating and learning about the world around them. By doing science, the student must use a number of skills: recall, imagination, classification, generalisation, comparison, evaluation, analysis, synthesis, deduction, and inference. These skills are essential to creative and critical thinking. But another important feature of doing science, as opposed to learning facts, is that students enjoy the process – and when learning is fun, teaching is easier! Dr. Elijah Omosa, lecturer and technologist, and Dr. Ezekiel Omwenga, lecturer at Kisii University, are an encouraging testimony to mentoring students to apply science in solving problems. Through the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and Education Technology (EDUTECH) clubs, they ignite students to design and build teaching and learning materials for science, technology and mathematics, as well as equipment and systems to respond to societal needs. We need to embrace the philosophy of learning science by doing. This is the most simple and powerful way through which science can revitalize development through innovations and value addition.
On TSC notice of no promotions without proven performance Steve Stephen: I went for an interview with a mean of 8.5 from a local day school, answered most questions correctly but was not promoted. TSC promote teachers using means they want. Teachers should just do their best and let God regard them. Nekesa Owuor: Performance of what? Is it the teacher who sits for the exams or the student? Not all teachers are interested in those promotions. Wehanen Lekalantula: TSC should have an intelligent way of teachers’ career progression. I would imagine TSC knows that students’ exam performance is not a reflection of a teacher’s performance.
On why varsity student numbers are falling as TVETs’ rises Kelly Kipchumba: This is because TVETs have come up to offer comprehensive and complementary skills and knowledge. Kelvin M Nyakora: university education is for few intellectuals. You can’t compare a university degree with pieces of papers from TVETs.
Gov’t to unveil clean cooking projects in schools by 2028 By Steve Muthini The government has put in place plans to eliminate the use of wood fuel for cooking in schools and other government institutions by 2028. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy Dr. Gordon Kihalangwa said the plan was in line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which seek to reduce carbon emissions as more sustainable energy solutions come into use. Speaking while opening stakeholders’ workshop at Machakos University Hotel, Dr Kihalangwa said the Bioenergy Action Plan 2021 - 2022 had outlined regulatory measures and institutional framework as well as a comprehensive mapping of the country’s bio-energy resources with the aim of ensuring the strengthening of bio-energy research and promotion of awareness on available options. "Globally people are talking of minimizing carbon emissions. We aim to eliminate the use of wood energy for cooking in all institutions by 2028," said Dr Kihalangwa. Dr Kihalangwa, who officially opened the Action Plan validation exercise, said Sh.5 billion had been projected for the roll out of the plan in five years. He added that the amount was inadequate, taking into account the various components of the action
plan, including creating bio-safety standards and awareness to the public. He said a national conference on the Action Plan will be held next month to decide the way forward. The PS observed that the country produces about 2950 megawatts daily which exceeds by far, the amount of energy used daily (1500 megawatts).
Gov’t must stop inflicting pain on P1 teachers It is so painful to hear that the college principals can come to that utterly insensitive conclusion to punish p1 teachers, who are already in depression for staying for more than ten years without employment; only to be told to go back to school for CBC training before employment. It is not their fault that they are unemployed, and yet some already have families they are supporting. Where will their families go while they are in school? Who will feed their children? Where will they get the school fees and time because they depend on manual work to make ends meet? Let TSC employ these teachers before telling them they must upgrade. They have already suffered enough. The college principals who decided that punitive measure must think twice. kelvin kellywekesa@yahoo.com
Dear readers: Kindly send your observations or views on topical education matters to editor@educationnews.co.ke. Note that the Editor reserves right to edit your articles for purposes of clarity and precision.
EDUCATION NEWS
12 By Staff Reporter The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has introduced a watertight process to ensure only genuine teachers access loans. In a Circular dated June 8, 2022 to all teachers on validation of data on TPAY system for teachers, the Commission’s Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia maintains that once a teacher’s mobile number is verified and captured in the system, it cannot be changed and it will be used during loan application and approval. Teachers will be required to log into TPAY system through the pay slip page on TSC website where they are also required to enter and verify their mobile phone numbers. Once they enter their mobile number and the One Time Password (OTP) is sent to their mobile number, they will put the OTP to validate the mobile number by clicking on the validate tab to verification. “Only a valid Code will be accepted and once verified, the number cannot be changed. The mobile number will be used during loan application and approval,” warns Dr. Macharia in the Circular which was copied to all TSC Regional, County and Sub-County Directors. In a move likely to lock out non-compliant teachers from accessing pay slips, P9 forms and third party transactions online, teachers have until July 15, 2022 to provide the necessary information. “The TPAY validation exercise takes effect from 9th June, 2022 and will close on 15th July, 2022. County Directors and Sub-Directors are directed to ensure that the contents of this circular are disseminated to all teachers serving under their respective jurisdictions,” she said. The development follows a move
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
TSC new system to save teachers from loan fraudsters One has also to input the OTP to validate the mobile number. Once this is done, a teacher is expected to click on the ‘Validate’ tab to verify that it is the correct mobile number Only a valid code will be accepted and once verified the number cannot be changed. The mobile number will be used during loan application and approvals by TSC to fill the necessary data on its TPAY. “In order to enhance security of teacher’s information and in line with the Data Protection Act 2019, the Commission requires all teachers to update their TPAY profile,” noted Dr. Macharia in the circular. For example, teachers will be required to upload a passport photo clearly showing the face, without glasses or head covered. Teachers are also expected to enter and verify the official email issued by the Commission for ease of communication. An OTP code will be sent to the email provided as only a valid code will be accepted to verify the email. The email will be used during loan application and approvals. Consequently, the Commission will be able to authenticate teachers in its system after past reports indicated that teachers fall prey to fraudsters. T-Pay enables teachers to access and print their pay slips which they present to commercial banks and Savings and Credit Co-operatives (Saccos) for loans and access to other services from third parties.
Dr Nancy Macharia, TSC CEO.
Other third parties include insurance, hire purchase, microfinance and Social Welfare Associations (SWAs). Through the arrangement, a teacher uses TPAY to approve and monitor third party transactions where the Commission has an agreement to run monthly deductions. Consequently, the inability to access the system means that teachers will not be able to know the deductions made and to what organizations. The Commission requires heads of institutions to provide the necessary data, failure to which they will not have their data entered. According to an insider from the Commission, secretariat staffs have already done this as a security measure for pays lips and money transaction issues for TSC employees. The watertight process involves heads of institutions, sub county directors and county directors. Heads of institutions are required to verify and approve the profile of teachers under their supervision within 30 days effective June 9, 2022. Primary school heads will have their profiles verified by sub-county directors as county directors verify pro-
Why career guidance in secondary schools should be strengthened By Faith Murithi
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ducation stakeholders have expressed concern over the high number of students dropping out of institutions of higher learning due to poor career choices. Egerton University lecturer Dr. David Ondiek confirmed that many students choose courses without understanding what the courses entail and also as a result of pressure from parents. “In university, no course is considered small or big. The problem is that some parents think when they force their children to do courses like Medicine, Law or Engineering, they are helping the kids. Children should pursue courses of their desires,” advised Dr. Ondiek. Kenya National Parents Association chairman Nicholas Maiyo, in his recent interview with Education News, attributed the poor career choices to poor career guidance for Form Four students and pressure from parents to do particular courses students have no passion for. “We have a lot of university dropouts. Some students who manage to graduate do not put in any effort in their work because they hate what they do,”
Nicholas Maiyo, Kenya National Parents Association chairperson. said Maiyo. Maiyo added that career offices need to be introduced in secondary schools and schools with the departments should be fully equipped and functional. “Teachers organizing a one or twoday career event to equip Form Four students while they are selecting their careers is not enough guidance. Career
guidance needs to be incorporated into the learning system from Form 1 for the 8-4-4 education system, with in-depth exposition about how their KCSE cluster points will determine their courses and careers in the digitalized world,” he said. Maiyo maintained that Kenya University and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) needs to encourage career literacy among parents and high school students through introducing career guide initiatives. “Parents play a key role in the career path of their children, hence they should be educated enough for that. There should be a wise and productive counsel where children don’t make unwise choices and are not forced to take courses they don’t want. Parents should give a listening ear to the ambitions, passions and interests of their kids to allow them do whatever courses they want while offering productive guidance. This is only possible if the culture of friendship is created between parents and the children,” said Maiyo. He noted that 90% of parents do not relate to their children at personal levels hence know nothing about their abilities, talents and interests. “Students end up listening to friends
and what the society and social media is advising,” said Maiyo. He added that since career days have always existed in the schools and students are making the same mistakes, career mentorship needs to be part of the curriculum, not an event. He advocated for schools and KUCCPS through the Ministry of Education to use Labour Market Information (LMI) to analyze job roles, pay, vacancies and highlight trends exploring what different sectors might look like in the future. He added that doing so will certainly enable students understand the potential opportunities and challenges within each industry and begin preparing for the world of work. LMI broadens horizons and promotes social mobility by helping students to identify careers with good prospects that they may not have considered. A teacher, who sought anonymity, said that every student and their parents should have access to good quality information about future study options and the labour market opportunities. “The support of an informed adviser is needed in order to make the best use of available information, which is not available in our schools currently since
files of post-primary heads. “Heads of institutions who will not have validated the particulars of teachers under their supervision within the stipulated time will not be able to access their TPAY accounts,” warns the Commission in the Circular. The validation and verification for the more than 340,000 teachers is also an attempt to effectively address discipline amongst teachers. Due to financial challenges, some teachers have overcommitted their pay slips through acquisition of loans from different financial institutions hence rendering them unable to meet their obligations. This has led to stress related complications with those affected turning to excessive drinking and drug abuse leading to teacher absenteeism. However, this is likely to pose challenges with past reports indicating that teachers spend class hours to visit nearest cyber cafes to upload the needed data. Teachers have complained before on the slow speed of the TSC website thus reducing the contact hours with the learners and this naturally compromises syllabus coverage.
it’s done eventfully and not occasionally,” remarked the teacher. Mercy Mwenda, a student at Kenyatta University(KU), gives her own experience of how after three years of doing a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, ended up quitting and starting all over as a Computer Science student. “I got a B+ after sitting KCSE in 2016. I was quite confused on what career options to pursue since I just had an overview of what each course entails from learning online about career qualifications and from peers and teachers. I got admitted to KU to pursue a Bachelors degree in Architecture and though it had never been my passion, I did it because it was a posh career as perceived by the society and I qualified for it anyway,” said Mwenda. She regrets that years later, she realized she was getting so drained by the class work and heavy loads of assignments. “It was a great course but not for me. I was struggling to deliver the best. I realized I had a passion in developing software and working with computers and I eventually mustered the courage to drop Architecture and go after my passion,” she added. This is just one of the many stories of students who have made the wrong career moves. In the recently announced KCSE results, 145,145 candidates qualified for admission into public universities after scoring the minimum mean grade of C+ and above.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
13
FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
BRIEFS
The Kitondo School improves on results
EASTERN | THARAKA NITHI
Chuka varsity opens new campus in Chogoria
By John Majau
Students pose outside their administration block.
KITONDO SCHOOL
K.C.S.E ANALYSIS BY MEAN 2018 -2021
YEAR 2021 2020 2019 2018
A 0 0 0 0
A7 8 3 0
B+ 10 18 14 5
B 38 18 33 7
B41 28 23 6
C+ 37 31 25 16
C 17 33 8 12
C9 7 17 20
D+ 4 4 9 13
D 0 1 3 7
D0 0 0 0
E 0 0 0 0
ENTRY 163 148 134 86
GRADE M.S.S. B7.80 B7.60 7.455 B 6.023
Education stakeholders from Maara area have put in place elaborate plans to relocate Nturiri Boys High School to Nturiri Primary School to give way for the expansion of Chuka University Chogoria Campus. The campus was officially opened by former Chuka University Vice Chancellor Prof Erastus Njoka, who said the institution will also generate various development projects in the region. “Through research and action, the university will generate knowledge to tackle various challenges facing the local community,” he proudly said. He stressed on the university’s commitment to playing its role of helping the community on food production, good health, water sufficiency, and infrastructural development. Maara MP Mbiuki handed over a cheque of Sh.11.6 Kareke Mbiuki, million to Nturiru Boys High School ad- the patron of ministration for purposes of relocation.
the local NGCDF assisted by former Chuka University VC, Prof. Erastus Njoka, handing the Sh. 11m dummy cheque to the Nturiri Boys High School administration to cater for relocation costs.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
14
Advertising Feature By Achola Mathews
S
ang’alo Institute of Science and Technology (SIST) held its sixth graduation ceremony at the college grounds in Bungoma where 2051 graduands were conferred with certificate, artisan and diploma certificates. The institution’s Chief Principal Dr Rosebella Chukwu, who was transferred from Ol’lessos Technical Training Institute, thanked the board of directors, parents, students and the school community for supporting the institution in carrying out its programmes. Speaking during the cere-
A section of SIST Head of Departments
Sang’alo Institute holds colourful 6th graduation ceremony, 2051 graduands awarded 10.6B
SIST Chief Principal, Dr Rosebella Chukwu mony whose chief guest was PS State Department of Vocational and Technical Training Dr Margaret Mwakima, Dr Chukwu noted that SIST will continue to be a centre of Research and Innovation cum a pillar of agricultural productivity so as to achieve food security in the
SIST Deputy Principal Academics Mr Dennis Ongoto. country. She revealed that the institute was ranked the best overall institute in Western region during the innovation competitions held at Matili Technical Training Institute. “Our institution represented Western region at the na-
A section of the SIST Graduands
AMOUNT the national government has so far invested in TVET education to aid in infrastructural development of institutions so as to ensure the provision of quality training. TVET Principal Secretary Dr Margaret Mwakima.
SIST Deputy Principal Adminstration Mr Peter Simiyu.
SISTE Dean of Students Mr Frank Kolikho.
tional competitions held at Meru National Polytechnic,” she said. Her sentiments were echoed by the institution’s deputy principal in charge of academic Dennis Ongoto, deputy principal administration Peter Simiyu and dean of students
Dan Kolikho. The Board Chair Prof Edwin Ataro thanked the national government for its continued support to SIST especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Prof noted that the government assisted the institution by constructing agricultural, automotive engineering
and food and beverage laboratories. He urged the graduands to be discipline by keeping good company. The chief guest, Dr Mwakima revealed that plans were underway to upgrade SIST into a national polytechnic. “The government had already finalized the legal process and structures through the office of the attorney general as is required by the guidelines in the Ministry of Education,” she noted She added that once the institution has been upgraded to a national polytechnic, it will be a centre of excellence and an agricultural research hub. Dr Mwakima revealed that the government has put in a lot of efforts to grow the TVET sector. “In 2013, there were only 52 TVETs in Kenya but that the number had grown to 238 with 192 operational and 46 nearing completion,” she pointed out. She further said that the national government had so far invested Shs 10.6 billion in TVET education to aid in infrastructural development of
SIST Board Chairman Prof Edwin Ataro. institutions so as to ensure the provision of quality training. She revealed that nationally, there are 200,000 students in TVETs and that the students receive capitation through HELB loans. The PS also hinted that 3000 TVET trainers will be recruited countrywide and that 1,000 of them will be employed
Cont. next page...
A section of SIST Students council making an introduction.
22.
DIPLOMA IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY 23. DIPLOMA IN QUANTITY SURVEY JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022 15 EDUCATION NEWS 24. DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 25. AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN LEVEL 5 26. CERTIFICAE IN MOTOR VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY 27. DIPLOMA IN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING 28. DIPLOMA IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING APPLIED SCIENCE DEPARTMENT 29. CERTIFICATE IN SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY 30. DIPLOMA IN APPLIED BIOLOGY 31. DIPLOMA IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY from previous page... INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) DEPARTMENT P.O BOX 158 - TEL: 502000711158158/0103669393 Bungoma, Kenya 32. ICT IN INFORMATION Contact: (254) 71133.158CERTIFICATE 158 TECHNOLOGY Email: info@sist.ac.ke/sangaloist@yahoo.com 34. DIP. IN INFORMATION COMMUNICATION COURSES OFFERED TECH. OFFERED DIPLOMA, CERTIFICATE & ARTISAN COURSES CLOTHING AND TEXTILE DEPARTMENT NO. COURSE(S) 35. HAIR DRESSING AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT 36. FASHION DESIGN TECHNOLOGY 1. HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTION 37. ARTISAN IN GARMENT MAKING 2. DAIRY PLANT MANAGEMENT 38. ARTISAN IN HAIR DRESSING 3. ARTISAN IN GENERAL AGRICULTURE 39. ARTISAN IN BEAUTY THERAPY 4. CERTIFICATE IN GENERAL AGRICULTURE 40. CERTIFICATE IN HAIR DRESSING A Section of SIST Adminstration Block. 5. DIPLOMA IN GENERAL AGRICULTURE 41. CERT. IN FASHION DESIGN & GARMENT government is coming up the Bukusu community. The in6. DIPLOMA IN ENTREPRENEURIAL MAKING TECHNOLOGY with a partnership with the stitution has since transformed AGRICULTURE 42. DIP. IN FASHION DESIGN & CLOTHING University of Arizona in USA into a pivotal TVET centre with ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING Sang’alo Institute of Science and Te TECHNOLOGY to train 5 million youth in high standards of training. DEPARTMENT Kenya in marketing and enIts name was derived from HOSPITALITY DEPARTMENT trepreneurship so as to have the Bukusu word Sang’ala 7. ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION 43. FOOD PRODUCTION (CULINARY ART) self-sustaining market driv- meaning happiness. It has a 8. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING (POWER 44. FOOD AND BEVERAGE SALES AND SERVICE en ventures which can provide town campus established withOPTION) LEVEL 6 45. NUTRITION AND DIETETICS a solution to unemployment in in Bungoma Town on the first Kenya. and second floor of the Catholic 9. ARTISAN IN ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION 46. ARTISAN IN FOOD & BEVERAGE Kibabii University Vice church building. 10. CERT. IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS 47. CERTIFICATE IN FOOD & BEVERAGE Chancellor Prof Isaac Odeo IpThe institution offers cours(POWER OPTION) 48. CERTIFICATE IN CATERING & ara noted that the institution es in Agriculture, Electri11. DIP. IN ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ACCOMODATION has the potential of even being cal and Electronics engineering, a university. Building and Civil Engineering, (POWER OPTION) 49. CERTIFICATE IN NUTRITION & DIETETICS Bungoma County Commis- Automotive Engineering, ApBUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 50. DIPLOMA IN FOOD & BEVERAGE sioner Mr. Samuel Kimiti called plied Science, ICT, Clothing and 12. PLUMBING LEVEL 4 51. DIPLOMA IN CATERING & upon students to shun away Textile as well as Hospitality 13. MASONRY LEVEL 4 from political activities that are and Business. It recently introACCOMODATION likely to cause insecurity during duced a driving course in Class 14. CARPENTRY AND JOINERY 52. DIPLOMA IN NUTRITION & DIETETICS the electioneering period. B and C1 plus refresher courses 15. BUILDING TECHNICIAN LEVEL 6 BUSINESS DEPARTMENT SIST is located in Kanduyi to be done within two months. 16. LAND SURVEY LEVEL 6 53. BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Constituency in Bungoma CounThe Entry Requirements ty. The institution was started are Mean Grade of D Plain for 17. ARTTISAN IN PLUMBING 54. COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT in 1926 by the late Sudi Nam- Certificate and C- Minus for 18. CERTIFICATE IN LAND SURVEY 55. MARKETING achanja, a paramount chief of Diploma Courses 19. CERTIFICATE IN PLUMBING 56. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT 20. CERTIFICATE IN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY 57. CERTIFICATE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT 21. DIPLOMA IN LAND SURVEY 58. CERTIFICATE IN COOPERATIVE 22. DIPLOMA IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY 59. CERTIFICATE IN HUMAN RESOURCE 23. DIPLOMA IN QUANTITY SURVEY MANAGEMENT 24. DIPLOMA IN CIVIL ENGINEERING 60. CERTIFICATE IN LIBRARY & ARCHIVAL AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT STUDIES 25. AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN LEVEL 5 61. CERTIFICATE IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT 26. CERTIFICAE IN MOTOR VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY 62. CERTIFICATE IN SALES AND MARKETING A section of parents during the graduation ceremony. 27. DIPLOMA IN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING 63. DIPLOMA IN ACCOUNTANCY 28. DIPLOMA IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING 64. DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT APPLIED SCIENCE DEPARTMENT 65. DIPLOMA IN COOPERATIVE MANAGENT 29. CERTIFICATE IN SCIENCE LABORATORY 66. DIPLOMA IN HUMAN RESOURCE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT 30. DIPLOMA IN APPLIED BIOLOGY 67. DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION STUDIES 31. DIPLOMA IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY 68. DIPLOMA IN SUPPLY CHAIN INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT (ICT) DEPARTMENT 69. DIPLOMA IN SALE S & MARKETING 32. ICT LIBERAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT 33. CERTIFICATE IN INFORMATION 70. CERTIFICATE IN SOCIAL WORK & COMM. TECHNOLOGY DEV. 34. DIP. IN INFORMATION COMMUNICATION 71. DIPLOMA IN SOCIAL WORK & COMM. A section of guests at the event. TECH. DEV. CLOTHING AND TEXTILE DEPARTMENT Send your applications to: The Principal, Sang’alo of Science & Technology, P.O BOX 158 - 50200 35. Institute HAIR DRESSING NB:Bungoma, Kenya 36. FASHION DESIGN TECHNOLOGY I. APPLY to the PRINCIPAL for a cou 37. ARTISAN IN GARMENT MAKING II. For inquiries about admissions, please 38. ARTISAN IN HAIR DRESSING
Institute to be upgraded to a national polytechnic
SANG’ALO INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNO O.SCIENCE BOX 158,&BUNGOMA. SANG’ALO INSTITUTEP. OF TECHNOLOGY
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
The students with their Principal Mrs Maron Kitur celebrating the results.
Mrs Marion Kitur, Principal. By Dennis Bett
N
dalat Gaa Girls High School posted an impressive mean of 8.02 in 2021 KCSE examinations, the highest mean the school has achieved in its history. The school’s good performance saw it ranked the best school in Nandi North Sub-county and the 5th best in Nandi County. It is now considered a centre of excellence in the region. To celebrate the good results, the school held a thanksgiving ceremony at the school grounds. The event, marked by pomp and colour, was well attended by parents, teachers and education stakeholders and was presided over by the TSC County Director Mrs Regina Opondo, who lauded the girls for the good results. She also promised to post more teachers to the school. Speaking during the event, the Principal Mrs Marion Kitur attributed the results to hard work and coordination among the teachers and students, benchmarking with well performing school and support by stakeholders. She added that the school managed to send 179 students who had C+ and above to universities under the government-sponsored programme. “The remaining 6 students who had a mean of C plain will join other tertiary
Ndalat Gaa Girls celebrates 2021 KCSE results, fetes top performers
Deputy Principal, Mrs Judith Ojunga institutions,” she said. She revealed that she has inculcated a reading culture in her students as well as leadership skills through the Students Council. “We launched our target mean and embarked on achieving it through thorough revision up to the last day. We in-
vited examiners, did affirmative action for the subjects including Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. We did exams concurrently, revised and formed groups guided by teachers. Each class had a target and a Motto from Titans, Champions, Victors and conquerors,” she explained. The Principal alluded that for the past nine years, the school has seen a gradual rise in all spheres, saying it currently has a student population of 1122 up from 300 and a mean of 5.0 to the current 8.0. Kitur singled out her team of teaching staff for their dedication “We have 22 teachers employed by TSC and 18 employed by the BoM,” she explained. She added that she has been conducting team building for the staff and that they have a strong welfare scheme. She also thanked the non-teaching staff for supporting the school’s programmes. “Today we are happy to celebrate the good results that our girls posted. We
she thanked the community present for supporting the school. Mrs Kitur remarked that they have an enhanced career department which provides information on courses where students make personal choices. She said the school is targeting a mean of 9.0 in 2022 KCSE exams and added that they have already rolled out programmes to help them achieve the same. Other than academics, the school does well in indoor and outdoor games like football, volleyball, netball, basketball, athletics, badminton, and table tennis, among others. “We participate up to the regional level. Co-curricular activities go handy with academic excellence as the effort used in the field is translated to class,” she pointed out. She added that they have improved the school’s infrastructure through the construction of an ablution block, septic tank, 120 bed capacity dormitory
We did exams concurrently, revised and formed groups guided by teachers. Each class had a target and a Motto from Titans, Champions, Victors and Conquerors.
- Principal
Hon Ruth Koech, BoM Chair. had support from all corners including our governor Hon Stephen Sang who talked severally to the girls. Our MP Vincent Tuwei supported the school and also encouraged the girls. The Church led by the Chaplain Mrs Ruth Koech was instrumental in giving guidance and counseling to the students. We want to make Ndalat great,” the Principal said as
and a resource centre. She called upon the Ministry of Education and other partners to support the school in putting up more dormitories and classrooms to enhance the 100 percent transition policy. She projected that the school will hit 1,500 students in the next three years. BoM Chairperson Hon Ruth Koech praised the girls for the good performance and encouraged them to be good ambassadors of the school. She added that their aim is to mould an all-rounded girl child who can shine in all spheres of life.
The clergy praying for the 2022 candidates. The BoM team.
The teaching staff.
2021 KCSE students after receving the gifts.
Nandi County TSC Director Mrs Regina Opondo awarding a former student.
School gate.
17
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
In this political chaos,everything goes
T
he season of madness is with us again. The apprehension and campaigns noise of the forthcoming polls is all over the place as candidates vying for various seats struggle to outdo each other. I have been in the thick of political campaigns for the last twenty years and I can tell you for free that this is one moment I cherish and loathe in equal measure. Being a scribe has its good and negative sides. Suffice to say that at one moment you are being showered with praise and goodies by those you reflect in good light while in another turn, you are being vilified and hunted like a criminal by politicians and their supporters who feel aggrieved by your writing. At one time, things almost reached a head when an upcoming politician who was angling to become a governor went to my employer with malicious allegations, apparently to have me sacked. “That guy should choose between chalk and pen. He has been writing negative stories about me,” the politician raved. Luckily, nobody took his sentiments
seriously, and everything cooled down after a while. I wonder what could have happened had the chap won and became the governor. Most likely things could have been elephant for me. Luckily he lost, garnering less than a hundred votes. With the experience I have had over the years, I have learned to be more cautious. I need to use both chalk and pen to raise my meagre wages. However, that is not to suggest I will not grab a good chance if prospects of making a quick buck present themselves. The other day I told you about my plans to set up a school uniforms business when my Sacco loan matures. Before that happens, I will be ready to embrace any opportunity that comes my way. So when I got a call from an aspiring Member of Parliament for Mavumbi, I was very keen to sift through and see if I could get an opportunity to milk some good money from him. “I have been told you’re a teacher of Mathematics and a seasoned journalist. I have some work I would like you to do
By Pascal Mwandambo for me,” he said from the other end of the telephone. Apparently, Marashi, my English colleague who is the fellow's distant relative, had given him my cellphone number.
Majimazito, who had just resigned as an accountant from the Port, seemed to me a potential threat to the incumbent who had virtually been sleeping on the job for the last five years. Our rendezvous at a posh hotel in Mavumbi town seemed serene, away from the noise and sweltering heat characteristic of the other parts of town. I found Majimazito well positioned in one corner sipping expensive vodka, whose name I cannot mention here for business reasons. After shaking hands, he politely asked the three chaps accompanying him to make themselves comfortable at the other corner of the hotel so that he could discuss some issues with “mtu wa magazeti.” When you find your host taking stuff that you also imbibe and he asks you to take a drink, don’t shy off from ordering what you fancy. I ordered for fine whiskey and settled opposite Majimazito. I took three straight gulps and cracked my fingers anxiously, looking for the right words from my expansive mental vocabulary. Apparently, Majimazito wanted me
Co-op Bank honours top students at Kenya School of Law
to conduct an opinion poll on how candidates for the Mavumbi parliamentary seat were performing. This was to be fully funded by him. I tried to win his confidence by telling him that I scored highly in statistics while at the university. “Actually, I majored in measures of central tendency and the work you want done is cut out for me,” the whiskey was doing party of the magic. The chap smiled broadly, rubbing his hands together. “Let me hope you will do a good job,” he said, scratching his moustache. They say he who pays the piper calls the tunes. For the sake of the money that I needed dearly, I picked up the offer. Half an hour later, a mobile money transfer message flashed through my phone. It was for the down payment for the 'Infotrack assignment”. I can’t divulge how much that was as it’s against the rules of common courtesy. However, if we meet in Mavumbi town in the evening, I can buy you a drink.
BRIEFS
RIFT VALLEY | ELGEYO MARAKWET
TSC rolls out programme to replace outgoing teachers By Dennis Bett The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has rolled out a programme to replace teachers who have left the service. This is according to the TSC chairperson Dr Jamleck Muturi, who said there are open vacancies available to replace teachers who left through natural attrition. Addressing the press in Tambach Teachers Training College in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Muturi said the government is going to consider areas that have shortage during the time of recruiting and deployment of teachers.
Top performing students at the Kenya School of Law were honoured during the graduation ceremony held on March 18, 2022. Nyongesa Mellan Nekesa (left) and Kiaritha Joseph Kamau (right) were named the Best Overall and Second Best Overall in Paralegal Studies in 2020, respectively. They received their trophies from Co-op Bank's Senior Relationship Manager in Government & Public Sector Banking George Abuga (centre), with the bank sponsoring a total of eight awards at the event.
Top performing students at the Kenya School of Law were honoured during the graduation ceremony held on March 18, 2022. The chief guest Attorney General Hon. (rtd) Justice Paul Kihara Kariuki (left) with Melissa Wango Were, named Best student in Civil Litigation, and Yohana Baraza, Business Development Manager at Triple OKLaw Advocates. Co-op Bank's Senior Relationship Manager in Government & Public Sector Banking George Abuga (right) hands the trophy to the winners. Co-op Bank sponsored the event with a total of eight awards.
BRIEFS
The whitecanes issued to persons living with visual impairment.
RIFT VALLEY | BOMET
Visually impaired bolstered as society issues white canes By Our Reporter Persons with visual impairment in Bomet County recently received assistive devices from the Kenya Society for the Blind (KSB) in partnership with the County Government of Bomet’s Department of Social Services and Department of Health. The white canes were issued at Longisa Referral Hospital. While celebrating achievements of visually impaired
people, Kenya Society for the Blind County coordinator Philip Chirchir lauded the visually impaired people who have overcome their disability and ventured into various activities, honoring the many contributions being made by them in the County and beyond. Chirchir further called on both the national and county governments to consider the visually impaired when opportunities and funds were available. “Persons with visual impairment have been hugely sidelined in Kenya. We call on the respective institutions to consider this and provide an environment where we can
feel included,” said Mr Charles Korir, a visually impaired person from Kapsimbiri, Bomet East. Korir said nearly all the facilities and technologies are not physically adaptive to Person with Disabilities (PWDs). The white cane is a tool that enables self-reliance and independence for the visually impaired. It propounds a person’s senses, allowing them to determine steps, uneven pavements, and obstacles. Yet it also assures a level of safety as a signal to the seeing public. A skilled user allows the cane to find the clearest way. The County Government of Bomet has for a long time been working with the Kenya Society for the Blind to uplift the living standards of the visually impaired persons.
Dr Jamleck Muturi, TSC chairman.
He noted that the government was working to increase the number of teachers in schools so as to improve the quality of learning in all government institutions. "Nationally we have a deficit of about 100,000 teachers, though the government is giving us the opportunity to recruit 5,000 teachers every year," he said. While noting that all stakeholders play a key role in ensuring that learners get good quality education, the TSC boss noted that the Commission’s desire was to create a conducive environment for learners and teachers. He said at the moment they were currently recruiting teachers across the country, encouraging those who had graduated to apply for the vacancies.
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS
CENTRAL
NORTH EASTERN
Functional policies to retain learners in schools need to be formulated A student at NEP Girls is happy with her final product during a practical lesson . File Photo. By Amoto Ndiewo Repugnant cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child marriage and child labour keep many children in Garissa, Mandera and Wajir counties out of school. Former education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof Jacob Kaimenyi once said nearly 1.5 million children were out of school in the region. He said some 94 percent of these children had never stepped in a school or were dropouts. Although Kaimenyi then said the government planned to put up more boarding schools in pastoralist regions, residents like Mohamed Hujale complain that some places lacked such facilities. ‘’Even mobile schools, which were expected to make education more accessible to nomadic pastoralist children, are non-existent,’’ Hujale lamented. A teacher at Garisweno Primary School in Garissa says that existing boarding schools are under-enrolled. Sankur, Mbalambala and Bura boarding schools and others in Garissa County are such examples. They were built under the arid boarding primary schools and equipped with electricity and running water. He adds that the diet and restrictive boarding school life does not fit the nomadic life-
style, noting that even boarding secondary schools operate like semi day schools, with students sneaking out for meals and renting rooms in town. Another school teacher Mohamed Dagane observes that many school kids often follow their livestock or are child labourers to support their weak and poor parents, even as others marry off their daughters to make ends meet. Dagane wants education policy makers and stakeholders to either exit from using existing non- functional policies or invent new ones to re-invent the education landscape in North Eastern. ‘’ It’s high time for new policy to enrol and retain north-eastern kids in school,’’ said Dagane. A recent two-day education conference in Garissa revealed that about 90 percent and 60 percent of children eligible for secondary and primary education respectively are out of school. Reacting during the conference, Garissa Governor Ali Korane urged residents to think out of the box and come up with workable solutions to boost school enrolment. ‘’Such a huge number of children being neglected is a disaster. Unless we tackle educational issues our development efforts won’t amount to much, ’’ he warned .
MURANGA
Refugee influx a blessing and a curse for NEP By Our Reporter The political and economic stability in Somalia has birthed refugee camps in Kenya like Dadaab, Dagaheley and Hagardere, hosting Somali nationals who are seeking refuge in their more peaceful neighbourhood. On the other hand, the Kenyans who enrolled in the refugee camps saw the window to enjoy free education for their children and eventually flew abroad as registered citizens of embattled Somalia. According to a resident Noor Gedi, many Kenyan Somalis enrolled as refugees to tap the services offered by international organizations. Yet the long term vision is to manoeuvre their way to citizenship abroad. ‘’With the perennial biting drought and abject poverty, enrolling as a refugee was a carte blanche ticket to land of milk and honey in the developed world, ’’ said Gedi. It is a double harvest for the Somali community, whether Kenyan or Somali. “As Kenyan Somalis enrolled as refugees in the camps, many Somali refugees enrolled in Kenyan schools; eventually registering for national exams and gaining citizenship,” he adds. He said learning in North Eastern Kenya enabled the refugees to learn Kiswahili and English as opposed to Italian, which is spoken in their mother country. Mohamed Hassan, a renowned teacher in Ga-
rissa, observes that the influx of Somali refugees in Kenyan schools has bred stubbornness and indiscipline. ‘’Before entry of Somali students in Kenyan schools, we did not have much indiscipline. Now foul language is normal amongst our learners,’’ said Hassan. Mohamed Gedi, a retired teacher, said ever since parents sought citizenship abroad, many children have been left to live with relatives or grandparents. This too has negated parental responsibility. He adds that given the perennial drought and nomadism, nurture services often suffer hugely as even teachers are in short supply. “Another impact of the economic migration is that those who have families abroad prefer to send their children to Kenya to be rehabilitated, ’’ said Gedi, explaining that the western culture eroded their religion. He adds that radicalism is fanned in some learning institutions. Mohamed Abdullahi, a Kenyan American, says that vicious gangs with local and international connections have emerged as schools have become recruitment centres for terrorists. “With it came drugs and premarital sex,’’ adds Abdullahi, pointing out that as much early marriage was a traditional sport in the region, sex outside marriage was unknown, let alone drug abuse which has permeated schools to the core.
Schools asked to adopt international financial reporting standards for accountability Muranga County Director of Education Anne Kiilu adressing the bursars.
By Peter Otuoro Muranga County Director of Education Anne Kiilu has told all secondary schools in the county to adopt and apply International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS) in order to enhance transparency and accountability in their annual financial reports of their schools. Kiilu said the Public Sector Accounting Standard Board(PSASB), in consultation with the National Treasury and the State Department of Early Learning and Basic Education, has developed those guidelines to assist the public secondary schools in implementing IPSAS and to apply the attendant financial report template to enhance financial reporting in schools. "The main aim of applying IPSAS during annual financial reporting is to promote transparency, accountability, equity, fiscal discipline and efficiency in the use of public resources for improvement of our service delivery," said Kiilu. Kiilu, speaking at Sunset Hotel in Nakuru City during a four-day bursar workshop training organized by Murang’a County, told the over 400 bursars that the laws of Kenya require all secondary schools to prepare financial statements which should comply with relevant accounting standards as prescribed and approved by the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board of Kenya from time to time. "Boards of Management of secondary schools should keep all proper books and records of accounts of income, expenditure and assets of the institution. It's because of this that the Public Sector Accounting Standard Board, the Ministry of Education
and the National Treasury have prescribe the IPSAS for public secondary schools," she said. The Murang’a County education boss highlighted the importance of applying IPSAS in public secondary schools to help achieve comprehensiveness in reporting financial matters, thus encourage the schools to fully disclose financial and non-financial information crucial for effective decision-making. "In our efforts to adapt IPSAS, we will strengthen our accountability and transparency, which will enhance the realization of the principal of public finance as enshrined in Article 201 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010,"said Kiilu. She also added that through adoption of IPSAS, the school financial statements will be compared periodically and stakeholders will come up with necessary interventions and control mechanisms in different accounting periods, creating efficiency of management and oversight authorities. Kiilu said in order to maintain transparency, the IPSAS reporting framework will provide a linkage between financial and non-financial information in public secondary schools, which will allow users to know how funds received by schools are used to ensure all objectives are met. She also said harmonization of financial reporting through adoption of IPSAS and prescribed reporting templates will allow the key stakeholders like the State Department of Early Learning and National Treasury to prepare consolidated financial statements for public secondary schools, which will allow other stakeholders to access information relating to schools easily.
SPECIAL FEATURE
Senior Chief who champions education in Kilifi By Tsozungu Kombe
Alfred Safari Deri, Senior Chief Mwahera location in Kilifi County.
Senior Chief of Mwahera location in Kilifi County Mr. Alfred Safari Deri is a true educationist at heart. Speaking during an exclusive interview with Education News in his office at Kang’amboni village, the chief said the education standards in his country have improved greatly and that his location has achieved 100 percent transition requirement. “The implementation of the 100 percent transition policy was successful through the collaboration of assistant chiefs and village elders in the location,” he said. He added that his location has
10 primary schools and 2 secondary schools, and that he has been encouraging residents and leaders to exercise a high degree of team work to enhance the education levels in the location. “The move to ban disco matanga has improved the education levels in the location,” he pointed out. He revealed that he has initiated a mop up drive to have all pregnant girls who dropped out of school return to school and further their education. He further encouraged them to register for KCPE and KCSE exams as private candidates. He also urged parents to take the education of their children
seriously, noting that the country’s rapid development needed educated people who will be charged with the responsibility of planning, designing and implementing community development projects. He asked all education stakeholders from the area to work towards the enhancement of education levels in the area. In his efforts to enhance and encourage people to embrace education, the senior chief has led by example. Born in 1966 in Mwandaza village, Deri started his education at Mwandaza Primary School where he sat his Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) in 1982. He then joined Takaungu
Secondary School in Kilifi County. After his secondary education, he worked at Simba Rite Limited from 1987 to July 1996. He thereafter went to work as an Assistant Chief II for Kaembeni Sub-location in Mwahera location. Deri went for a Paralegal induction course at Embakasi Police Training College. He has a diploma and degree in Theology and he is currently pursuing a masters degree in leadership. In April 2015, he was promoted to a Senior Assistant Chief. In 2017, he was appointed as chief for Mwahera location. On June 2021, he was promoted to Senior Chief for Mwahera location.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
19
EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Goibei Girls write history to send 239 students to university
Mr Jackton Namale, Deputy - Academics.
Dr Rose Kimutai Koech, Principal. By Dennis Bett
P
.A.G Girls Goibei recorded exemplary performance in the Principal Dr Rose Kimutai Koech celebrating the just concluded 2022 good results with her students. (Inset) Students KCSE examinations, garnering a mean celebrating after results release. of 7.98 and effectively breaking the enabled students to glass ceiling since the inception of 8-4open up and study 4 system of education. We are happy that in a comfortable In a class of 248 students, 239 Goibei Girls has atmosphere, students scored above grade C+, conducive enough for learning to take qualifying for university under the produced the best place. government sponsorship programme. results which we She added that with the slogan Only 9 students scored a mean of C Sacrifice, Unique Results’, the plain. have worked hard to ‘Unique girls could pursue their dreams with The school was the best in Hamisi achieve.WethankGod confidence as their self-esteem was Sub-county and third best in the entire Vihiga County. to whom we attribute boosted. “We are happy that Goibei Girls When the results were released, thegoodperformance has produced the best results which we students and teachers expressed their have worked hard to achieve. We thank happiness by converging in the school as we always pray God to whom we attribute the good to celebrate the best way they could as performance as we always pray before before any activity. joy and ululations rented the air. any activity,” she said. Speaking to Education News at the She said parents and other education peak of limitless ecstasy, the principal stakeholders supported them, promising Dr Rose Kimutai Koech attributed - Principal. even bigger things with the 2022 class as the good results to hardwork, team they had already completed the syllabus teaching and thorough revision by use having set a target of 8.5. of quality examination materials. B plain, 125 B-, 56 C+ and only 9 C The principal exuded confidence She said there was a smooth that the school will rise to be a national coordination between the teachers plain as the least grade attained. Part of her success plans, she giant as they target to produce holistic and students who had been grouped according their abilities to solve their said, was staying close to the girls as and all-rounded students who can shine academic problems at personal levels, she held regular meetings with them at all levels of global life. She singled out the impeccable which she said worked well for the to help solve their problems as they arise, however minor they might be. discipline portrayed by the students, students. Koech said that they had 11 B+, 47 The free environment this created which she said accompany academic
Parents at a past function.
excellence. She stated that due to the rising number of students wishing to join the school, they have plans in place to construct new dormitories and classrooms, which was already underway with the construction of new classrooms. Goibei Girls was started in 1930 as a primary school by the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAC) through a missionary commonly known as Clark. Later in 1954, the PAC collaborated with Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) to establish an intermediate mixed school whose aim was to provide affordable quality education to boys and girls who were unable to secure admissions in government-aided schools. The evergreen school has made major strides in partnership with PaulGehard Schule in Germany to have environmental exchange programmes. It is also recognized in Kenya as an ECO school having been awarded a trophy on environmental conservation by the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS).
Some members of the teaching staff.
Mrs Nancy Azenga, Deputy - Administration.
Mr Francis Kivati, Bursar.
A section of students.
Varsity Bulletin 20 EDUCATION NEWS
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
THE PLATFORM FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Youth urged to exploit huge agriculture potential for economic empowerment
By Roy Hezron
Youth have been encouraged to consider venturing into agriculture as a self-employment as well as a means of improving the country’s economy. Speaking at Murang’a University of Science and Technology, University Education and Research Principal Secretary Amb. Simon Nabukwesi said Kenya can borrow practices from countries such as Egypt and Israel, which, despite having harsh weather conditions, are able to produce enough food for both internal consumption and export. He was on an inspection visit of complete government-sponsored projects at the university. He said agriculture as a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, can transform the country into a robust economy. He added that the country is moving towards professionalizing agriculture, asserting that agriculture is viable both for nutritional and food security purposes, as well as for export because Kenya has adequate arable land and rains throughout the year. “The people have the capacity and with the support of the government, ag-
PS Amb. Nabukwesi addresses the media after inspecting the projects.
If Egypt, which is in a desert is the highest producer of fruits and rice in Africa, we can take an example from that and do modern and better agriculture. - PS Nabukwesi.
riculture is a direct provider of self-employment for young people. If Egypt, which is in a desert is the highest producer of fruits and rice in Africa, we can take an example from that and do modern and better agriculture,” said Nabukwesi. Apart from crop production, the PS said, Kenya also has a rich potential for beef and dairy products which can be exported to nations such the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Middle East. He encouraged the youth to be innovative and take advantage of unexplored areas in agriculture which can be turned
into a highly profitable venture. The PS applauded Murang’a University for establishing an agriculture-oriented campus at Mariira. “The government is funding construction of hostels, libraries and laboratories in universities in order to improve the quality of education. I am happy with the laboratory equipment in the recently constructed science complex at the university,” he added. On his part, Murang’a University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dickson Nyariki said the new campus at Mariira will boost economic activity in the area once the students begin using the facility, about 40km off the main campus. Prof. Nyariki said the idea of establishing the campus was to sensitize the youth on the economic benefits of engaging in agriculture with the wider view of enhancing food security. “The Ministry of Education had given about Sh.400 million for the science complex while the National Research Fund donated about Sh.50 million that has been used to purchase various equipment. We have also constructed 520bed capacity hostels at the cost of over Sh.200 million,” said Prof. Nyariki. The VC also noted that agriculture
needs to be given enough attention so that the country can mitigate food shortages. “There is need to sensitize young people on the importance of agriculture so that we can improve food security through relevant research and increase agricultural productivity,” he added. On placement of the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates, the PS said the portal was to be opened for the next two weeks. He advised them to visit the site and select courses they would like to pursue in universities and colleges. “Students should check the site and consult their parents and role models so that they are able to make informed decisions,” said Amb. Nabukwesi. According to the PS, the placement results should be out by mid-June so that students can know and prepare for the courses they will be studying. The PS visited Murang’a University Campus at Mariira, a former farmers training centre known as Kenyatta Farmers Institute, which is earmarked for enrolling second year students pursuing Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Agriculture. Amb. Nabukwesi was accompanied by the Director of University Education Mr Dairus Ogutu Mogaka and other ministry officials. The team later planted trees at the Mariira and the main campuses to champion environmental conservation and improve the country’s forest cover.
Kenyan students asked to apply for German scholarships By James Wakahiu German institutions are offering hundreds of scholarships to Kenyan university students studying or seeking to study locally or in European institutions. The support is available at undergraduate, Masters, as well as PhD levels for students from the East African region, including refuges. Application procedures and requirements are available online, but some of the organisations funding education have offices in Nairobi. These include the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), whose representation in Nairobi started as a small adjunct office in September 1973. By 1979, the small office had grown into a fully-fledged DAAD Regional Office for Africa (www.daad.or.ke). "Come learn with us, and we can also fund you if you are needy and bright. Learn some German too," was the overidding message from German institutions that made presentations at the Second International Conference on Peace, Security and Social Enterprise held at Mount Kenya University (MKU) in Thika town last week. Germany has a population 0f 83 million, with quite a sizable number of 10 million being foreigners, in-
MKU Co-founder Dr Jane Nyutu issues a Certificate of Participation to University Council chairman Prof. David Serem during the 2nd International Conference on Peace, Security and Social Enterprise at MKU. Photo/James Wakahiu. cluding refugees. There was rapt attention by about 1,000 delegates in person or online at the Mwai Kibaki Convention Centre as the directors of German institutions funding education in Africa - some already employing beneficiaries of scholarship programmes in their projects – tabled impressive figures.
For instance, the Study Access Alliance has a scholarship programme for 100,000 high quality online degrees at internationally accredited universities. The Alliance offers a comprehensive programme powered by its partners for full university scholarships for high quality online Bachelor, Master and MBA degrees at Germa-
ny's largest university. Prof David Rempel, Academic Head at Nuremburg Campus, Germany, said the International University (IU) is Germany's largest university with 80,000 students and the world's largest online degree portfolio. The Leadership for Africa offers scholarship programmes to complete a Masters degree in Germany in all fields of study except for Medicine, Dentistry, Law, Arts and Architecture. About 50 scholarships are issued yearly with quotas for nationals and refugees. Another Kenyan-German postgraduate training programme offers 30 scholarships annually, open to all fields and topics. The 2010 cooperation agreement between the then Ministry of Higher Education was implemented by the NRF and the DAAD, renewed in 2017 and extended in 2021 for another three intakes. The programme aims to achieve capacity building at universities in Kenya. Since the first intake in 2011, 139 scholarships have been awarded in total, therein 71 doctoral candidates have successfully completed their PhDs. Established in the 1960s, DAAD promotes creation of high quality and permanently self-sufficient higher
education structures in developing countries. It also contributes to academic collaboration within the region and offers individual scholarships for postgraduate students. DAAD is the world's largest funding organization for international exchange. Germany has tens of internationally-accredited universities and technical colleges whose doors are open to African students. There are 400 state-recognized institutions of higher learning offering more than 20,000 different study programmes and over 2,000 international programmes; 85 percent of which are taught in English. Currently, about 13 percent of the 2.8 million students in Germany are international, distributed as following: Europe 43.7; Asia 37.6; Africa 9.7; the Americas 8.6 and the rest of the world 0.4 percent. The MKU Council Chair Prof David Serem said the university will continue to fully support all activities that promote peace and education in the country, regionally and globally. "We are committed to fully supporting all activities geared towards promoting peace and especially those involving youth. This is why most of our programmes are self-job-creating oriented," the chairman said.
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EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Mwihila High on path to maintain its academic glory
Chief Principal Maurice Ajulu. By Richard Shichangi
I
t was an interactive day for Form Three and Form Four parents at Mwihila Boys High School when they met at the school’s grounds to chart the way forward for the academic excellence of their sons. The school, which has remained an academic powerhouse in Khwisero Sub-county, is on the track of retaining its good reputation. In 2021 KCSE, the school posted a mean of 6.3 up from 5.8 in 2020. It was ranked the best school in the sub county and among the top performing schools in Kakamega County. The number of students who qualified for direct university admission in 2021 KCSE increased to 102 from 49 in 2020 KCSE. The school’s Chief Principal Maurice Ajulu said that they are working on increasing the number of direct university admissions to 150 and are aiming to achieve a target mean of 7.0. “We have an entry of 238 candidates and are confident that we will
achieve our set target,” he said. He added that to realize it, the school’s administration had put in place various measures to ensure the boys are well endowed with knowledge for prosperity. “The teachers are up to the task. They are ready to go the extra mile to see that our school remains a force to reckon with in matters education in the county,” he explained. Ajulu said that they have allocated more time to the candidate class, and that includes having morning and evening lessons. “We also do joint exams, subject contests, ability grouping, symposia and exam tips. Our aim is to ensure that the boys are well groomed for national exams,” he clarified. He further added that they have put a lot of emphasis on practicals and IT to ensure that the boys are computer literate. He added that they have also put in place measures to mitigate emerging issues which might derail the boys from focusing on their academics. Ajulu said that he had also
strived to improve the school’s facilities by constructing 38 toilets for the boys’ ablution block. “We have also renovated the teachers’ quarters, completed the construction of form one block, a 160 capacity dormitory and also constructed a slaughter house for the school,” he added. He added that they are currently putting up a storey dormitory that will house 300 students upon completion and that the ground floor is already done. He said that they still need more classrooms, a multipurpose hall, modern library and more science labs to serve the student population of more than 900.
Deputy Principal Administration, Mr Gregory Kundu.
Deputy Principal Academics, Godfrey Wesa.
Parents during the meeting.
School Bus.
Administration Block.
“We want to increase the number of streams to five but that’s impossible due to the few classrooms we have,” he explained. The chief principal thanked the area MP Christopher Aseka for sponsoring students at the school. “More than 400 students are currently on full scholarships from the area CDF office,” he concluded. The teachers vowed to remain committed to their call of teaching. They also promised to ensure the boys are given the right content on time and that the syllabus is covered early to give room for revision. They further promised to dedicate their time to the academic matters of the boys to ensure that the school keeps on soaring high in both mean score and quality grades.
The parents promised to remain steadfast in supporting the school programmes to ensure that their sons realized their full potential in their quest for education. The candidates pledged to work hard and observe discipline so as to realize their academic dreams. Mwihila Boys was established in the late sixties by the Church of God missionaries. The school has grown by leaps and bounds to become an extra-county school which is competitive in academics and extra-curriculum activities. It has churned out notable alumni, among them Professor Sternly Khainga, Prof Onesmus Ayoyi, Justice Aggrey Muchelule, Sammy Omukoko, Eng Wanyande, Ellas Ominde and Hon Wycliffe Osundwa, former Mumias MP, among other notable alumni working across the globe.
Dormitory
Form 3 and 4 students.
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
Advertising Feature
Kericho TTC holds colourful 54th graduation ceremony
K
By Benedict Ng’etich
ericho Teachers Training College held its 54th graduation ceremony at the college’s grounds. The colourful event was graced by dignitaries across various sectors. Kericho County Director of Education (CDE) Ms. Rose Sagara, the chief guest, congratulated the graduands for their resilience in their academic journey. She urged the graduands to be ready to embrace reforms in the education sector. She added that the graduands were the drivers and movers of Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), hence should be well prepared to deliver in the new system. “Other than knowledge, skills and competency also matter. You can’t develop something you do not possess, hence you should be proactive, hands on, digitally empowered and research-based teachers,” she told them. Sagara said the government is implementing CBC as the vehicle through which the country will comply with and conform to global dynamics. “Nations worldwide are transforming and innovating their systems in line with global trends and demands of the labour market,” she said. Ms. Sagara said the new teacher should cause a paradigm shift from traditional teaching approaches to transformative pedagogy in which the teacher is a facilitator of learning, a collaborator, co-learner and co-creator. The institution’s Chief Principal Ms. Elda P Achungo said the graduands had been trained on the basics of CBC, hence they were leaving the college capable of handling pupils in grades 1, 2 and 3. “They are already CBC champions in their stations and are contributing positively in the implementation of the new curriculum,” she proudly said. She expressed confidence that the graduands are well equipped with skills, knowledge, attitudes and character to fit into the competitive job market.
Chief Principal Ms. Elda P. Achungo.
“Over the years, Kericho TTC graduands have been highly sought after due to their preparedness in pedagogical experiences and their discipline,” she proudly said. She told the graduands that the new curriculum expects them to bring value into their teaching career. “Be good role models. I urge you to continue developing yourselves at the earliest opportunity in preparation for grabbing a sea of opportunities awaiting you. Never stop learning, for when we stop learning, we stop growing,” she urged them. Ms. Achungo stressed that the institution is prepared to produce competent teachers for the CBC. “Under the vibrant leader-
the country with a capacity of 1200 students. She expressed concern that with the introduction of a new curriculum and the new policy of transition to diploma, the enrollment at the institution had dropped to 878. “We currently have 36 teaching staff and 60 support staff to anchor activities,” she said. She went on to add that through collaboration of the BoM, the college had achieved many milestones over the years. “I appreciate the BoM for the remarkable dedication and selfless service to the college that has enabled us to rebrand and offer diploma courses in teacher training. The BoM has also supported and helped us
solve the issues affecting the college. It’s as a result of this support that we have achieved success in both academics and co –curricular activities,” she said. She added that through prudent utilization of resources, the college had seen an infrastructural facelift. “We renovated classrooms, the dining hall and hostels,” she said. Ms Achungo said the college is also a powerhouse in co-curricular activities like Games, Drama and Music. “In the just concluded National Athletics Championships in Kigari TTC, the college emerged the best in the zone. In ball games, we reached the nationals,” she added. The Chief Principal appreciated coaches, trainers, students and the whole staff for their commitment and deter
Graduands follow proceedings during the ceremony.
Board member Dr. Vicky Chepkorir.
Cont next page... Over the years, Kericho TTC graduands have been highly sought after due to their preparedness in pedagogical experiences and their discipline. Chief Principal Elda P. Achungo
ship of the BOM, we are all committed to realizing our mission of producing competent teachers for CBC,” she explained. She thanked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for adequately staffing and capacity building initiatives for the teachers during the rollout of the new curriculum. She also thanked the Ministry of Education for supporting the school by issuing grants. “The office of the Director has always been handy and prompt in attending to our requests,” she said. She added that the institution prides itself in being one of the pioneer colleges in
Kericho CDE Ms Rose Sagara awards Kahindi Barack who scored a distinction.
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EDUCATION NEWS
College commits to produce CBC-competent teachers ...From previous page mination in bringing glory to the college, adding that their good performance proved they were on track in realizing its mission of being a model institution in the training and development of competent and multi-skilled teachers. BoM representative Dr Vicky Chepkorir said the TTC is one of the oldest public colleges in the country. She talked of the need to repair and improve the infrastructure of the institution. “As a Board, we have done our best to improve the college’s infrastructure but more still needs to be done. I urge the Ministry of Education to allocate funds to the college for renovation so that we can modernize it now that we’ve been upgraded to diploma level,” she said. Dr. Chepkorir observed that currently, the student population had gone down and with the low number of students
Students entertaining guests.
it had become a challenge for the college to run its activities smoothly. “Paying especially the non-teaching staff has become a challenge. I would like to urge the ministry to be sending grants in good time to alleviate the suffering of the workers. The constant delay of grants in a given quarter makes it difficult to meet the targets signed in the Performance Contract,” she explained.
She thanked the principal, lecturers and non-teaching staff for the work they do in the college. She also thanked all their stakeholders and expressed the Board’s commitment to supporting the planned programmes so as to create a conducive environment for the achievement of the college’s mission. Kericho County gubernatorial aspirant Dr. Erick Mutai promised to support the institution, arguing that it needed major funding to achieve its goals.
Pupils from the local primary school also graced the event with a powerful Luhya dance.
TVET student, 25, devises robot capable of detecting land mines, IEDs By Kamau Njoroge A 25-year-old man has become the talk of Thika town for his prowess in devising robots that can efficiently perform some of the common house chores like cleaning. Brian Kimani, a tech guru, has already devised four robots, one of which can do house cleaning. The robot is fully autonomous and is programmed with a computer. The robot has ultraviolet sensors to detect obstacles within the house like chairs or tables. It also has ultrasonic sensors to detect walls. Its legs are fitted with rotary encoders to enable it manouver in the house and do thorough cleaning before retreating to its store after the job. But what has stunned many is his latest innovation, a semi-autonomous military robot that is capable of detecting land mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Kimani schooled at Thika Technical Training Institute where he acquired a Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and later Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) where he studied Information Technology. Kimani, while speaking at their Madaraka home in Thika, said having
Brian Kimani with one of the robots he has devised. Photo/Kamau Njoroge.
acquired requisite knowledge in Electronics from TTTI and programming at JKUAT, he started actualizing his dream of becoming a robotics designer. “It has been my dream of addressing some of the challenges the society faces as well as easing human workload through technology. My passion can be traced back to the days I was young because I could completely dismember my dad’s radio and then assemble it. I realized I had a talent and worked hard to enhance it,” he said. His expertise and love for robots have already started paying off after he secured a job at Mpesa Foundation Academy in Thika to train learners on robotics. He said while creating the robots, he develops an idea before embarking on extensive research. He has already managed to develop gaming robots, a cleaning robot and the military robot. Military robot The persistent attacks on Kenya’s security officers by the extremist group (Al Shaabab) is what drove Kimani to embark on devising the military robot. This robot, he says, will help save many lives of the security officers as well as make the war against insurgents and terrorist activities in the country more efficient and successful, since it has the ability to detect land mines as well as IEDs. The country has lost soldiers and police
INVITED GUESTS
Kericho CDE Ms. Rose Sagara.
KUPPET Kericho branch Secretary Mrs. Mary Rotich.
Dr.Erick Mutai.
officers to the terrorists’ IED attacks in North Eastern near the Kenya-Somalia border. Kimani has already improvised a remotecontrolled prototype that has the ability to move up to 300 metres. But he says that he can advance the robot to cover 15 to 20 kilometres. “Kenya has suffered setbacks in the security department. We have lost many men and women in uniform to terrorists who plant the IEDs on the routes used by our officers,” Kimani said. He added, “The robot has an inductive sensor to detect metals buried in the sand and therefore will detect the explosives. It’s also fitted with a camera so that it can gather intelligence on the route the officers are patrolling through as well as gather information about the insurgents and relay it to the one controlling it,” he said. He said that once the robot detects a landmine or an IED, it will produce a beeping sound and notify the one in control. “Given that there is a camera, the officers will be able to effectively locate where the mine is planted,” he said. Embrace technology Kimani says that with the rapid change in the technology world, the government must embrace every form of innovation even in its war against terrorists in the country. “I call on the government to take up my innovation. If they find it helpful, I will offer my expertise so that we can advance it for the sake our officers’ security and for a smooth win over the enemies,” he said. He opines that the government should support and nurture innovations so that they can contribute to solving some of the problems the society is facing. Meanwhile, Kimani urged youths in the country to embrace technology and use it to advance their talents, saying that the future is technology-related. “There’s no need of relying on white-collar jobs, youths must realize that talent nowadays pays well. Technology is here to advance and perfect one’s talent,” he said.
TERTIARY INSTITUTI JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
EDUCATION NEWS 24
Shedding light on TTCs, TVETS and Other Colleges
Bumula KMTC to admit first batch of students in September By Mathews Bulimo The national government, through the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), has put in place adequate plans to ensure that Bumula Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) admits its first batch of students in September this year. Speaking when he toured Bumula KMTC campus, KMTC Board chairperson Ambassador From Right: KMTC Board chairman Amb. Zachary Muburi Muita Zachary Muburi Muita noted that and area MP Moses Mwambu Mabonga at the institution once the institution has all the during the inspection. requisite facilities, it will admit students into nursing and health One of KMTC Board of Direc- the ablution block. records courses. tors members Dr Martin Sirengo “The first batch of students will Ambassador Muita said priori- urged parents to counsel and guide receive bursaries from the CDF for ty will be given to students around their children well and encourage their tuition fees,” he promised. Bumula who will be allocated 30 them to pursue medical courses. He urged area residents to shun percent of the admission slots while He added that the opening of leaders who bring politics in every the rest of the chances will be given the medical campus will present the development project in the constitto students drawn from other parts of youth with a chance to enroll and uency. the country. study at the college. He urged President Uhuru KenHe added that his office will Hon Mwambu committed to al- yatta to fulfill his promise of donatwork hand in hand with area legis- locate Sh.10 million to the KMTC ing Sh.22 million to Bumula KMTC lator Hon Moses Mwambu Mabonga campus for infrastructural develop- for infrastructural facelift. to ensure the success of the college, ment like construction of more labBumula KMTC’s foundation which will create economic oppor- oratories and classes. stone was laid in 2016 through the tunities for area residents and other He disbursed Sh.500,000 through NG-CDF at a cost of Sh.5 million. investors. the NG-CDF for the construction of
County asked to build more TVETs
By Agnes Orang’o
Kangundo East Member of County Assembly Grace Munini has asked the County Government of Machakos to build more Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes. Speaking to Education News, Munini said the county has many youth who did nOt qualify for direct university admission, hence should be supported to join TVETs. “These youth can join TVETs and be equipped with skills that will enable them to create job opportunities or secure employment,” she said. She observed that skills like plumbing and welding are easy to acquire if TVETs are set up. “Some of the students who join universities fail to get jobs. The government cannot employ everyone but it can support the youth to acquire skills through TVETs. You can bear me witness that no youth who enrolled in a TVET is jobless," she said. She noted that a lot of youths despise the TVETs, not knowing it could be an avenue for building their future. "Most of these plumbers, carpenters, tailors and masons attended polytechnics. They have their own businesses which have employed many graduates,” she concluded. Youth can join TVETs and be equipped with skills that will enable them to create job opportunities or secure employment. Skills like plumbing and welding are easy to acquire if TVETs are set up. -Munini
NS
Legislator slams Ministry’s new policy on TTC admission By Philemon Kiprop The move by the Ministry of Education to revise the upward requirements for trainees in teacher colleges has been termed unrealistic and a deliberate move to block people from joining the profession. Speaking exclusively to Education News, Marakwet West MP William Kisang said the policy is untenable. “The policy needs to be revised to accommodate many school leavers intending to join the teaching fraternity,” Kisang said. He added that it is unrealistic for many students to attain a grade of C plain in all subjects. To qualify for training in TTCs, one must have a mean Grade of C (plain) in Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, one Science and One Humanity to align pre-service teacher training to the demands of CBC. The overall mean in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) must also be C plain. “The rule to dictate that students should attain a mean grade of C plain and subsequent C plain in all subjects is unrealistic. Not all students are capable of passing every subject and this should not be
Marakwet West MP William Kisang. used to lock them out from realizing their dreams of pursuing a career in teaching,” remarked Kisang. He said the policy is contrary to the Ministry’s earlier move to have students specialize in subject areas they wanted to train in. “The requirement of mean grade C plain should be pegged on specialization subjects only,” she said. He concluded by saying that a petition has been taken to Parliament to have the directive revised.
BRIEFS RIFT VALLEY | UASIN GISHU
Chebisaas Boys acquires national school status By Philemon Kiprop The Ministry of Education has elevated AIC Chebisaas Boys Secondary School in Uasin Gishu County to a national status. The move comes following the County Education Board’s request to the ministry to promote the school as per its threshold of having two national schools in every county. Hitherto, the county has had Moi Girls Eldoret as the only one on national school status. In a letter seen by Education News dated June 2, 2022, the education ministry approved the institution to attain the new status, terming it ‘balancing’of schools of each gender to have a school at the level. What this means is that the school can now admit students from different parts of the country in the national quest to foster cohesion and unity.
RIFT VALLEY | NAKURU
RIFT VALLEY | TRANS NZOIA
The letter, signed by Paul Kibet on behalf of principal Secretary in the education ministry, reads in part: “This is to inform you that AIC Chebisaas High School has been upgraded to a Boys National School in Uasin Gishu County, after the request by the County Education Board was approved”. With the elevation, the school, in consultation with other education stakeholders, is expected to put in place necessary structures to enable the institution operate at that level. The school will now join other boys schools in the North Rift region, including Kapsabet Boys in Nandi County, St. Patrick’s Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet, St.Josephs High School inTrans Nzoia, Chewoyet Boys in West Pokot, Baringo High School in Baringo, and Lodwar High School in Turkana County.
Daystar Don urges attitude change towards sciences Daystar University VC Prof Laban Ayiro.
By Martin Ruto Professor Laban Ayiro of the Daystar University has urged students to work hard in science subjects, which seems to be a headache to most students. He told them that sciences are the prerequisite to prestigious courses like Medicine, Engineering and Law. He made these remarks at St. Joseph’s Boys Kitale during the Forms 3 and 2 Academic Day. He asked teachers to have a soft heart in guiding students positively so that they can accept that the sciences are as good as the other subjects. “Teachers, kindly guide our learners well in Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Agriculture for the betterment of our nation,” Prof. Ayiro said.
Engage dialogue to improve results, KNUT urges parents By Peter Otuoro Education stakeholders have been urged to engage positively in consultative forums to improve the level of education in primary and secondary schools in Nakuru County. Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Nakuru Branch Secretary General Anthony Gioche said it is only through teacher-parent-student cooperation that education can be turned around. "If parents fails to do their part, students drop their guard," he said. He was speaking at their regional office in Nakuru. "As KNUT leaders, we are concerned about academic performance in all our schools. That is why we encourage parents to cooperate with our teachers," he added. He dissuaded parents from rushing to the media for even minor problems which could be resolved amicably through dialogue.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022 By Agnes Orang'o
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ohn Peter Mackenzie, 69, a former principal of four national schools and a pioneer chief principal, is not a stranger to controversy even in his current station. At one point in his career, he was interdicted after being accused of slaughtering a school bull for his son’s wedding. Ironically, the son at that time was preparing for his KCSE exams in the same school. He narrates his life and what prompted him to start a high school that admits students who have been dismissed from other schools. Born in Ngonda village in Machakos County and a founder member of Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) and Kenya Private School Heads Association, Mackenzie was brought up in a humble background. His polygamous father had 19 children. A long tortuous education life would later take him to the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelors of Education (Science) in 1977. But it was not until 1980 that his fortunes changed, rising from classroom teacher straight to principal without passing through protocols. However, at the age of 50, Mackenzie took an early retirement and in 2005 he started his own school; Mackenzie Education Centre, which he runs to date – the school that is keen on admitting those rejected in other schools for diverse reasons. Mackenzie unsuccessfully vied for Matungulu parliamentary seat in 2013. Education Mackenzie went to Kyamulendu Primary School, then Kangundo High School and Kenyatta High School in Voi, where he did his Forms Five and Six. "I used to walk on foot from Athi River to Tala through Lukenya. The train from Voi used to drop us at Athi River. To pay for my school fee I used
By Agnes Orang'o
M
ackenzie High School in Matungulu Sub-county of Machakos County, popularly known for taking in students dismissed from other schools, is now a force to reckon with. The school, located in the outskirts of Nairobi just 4.5 kilometres from Tala town, was incepted in 2005 and has been home to many students who are on the path of recovery from various delinquencies to become useful people in society. The school Director John Mackenzie, a former principal of four national schools, told Education News that they welcome such students with open arms and rehabilitate them until they change. We started with 28 students in Forms One and Two and was among the first private high schools in Kangundo. We are now at 150 students and hoping to grow," said Mackenzie. He narrated that it is not an easy task to change rogue students but through mentorship and counseling, they gradually ensure they take their place in the ever-changing world. "Dealing with such students is not easy. We are very stern and strict with them because apart from their character, this school is not their choice but an op-
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Enigmatic principal who was suspended for ‘slaughtering school bull’ and led to satisfactory performance. While teaching at Tala High School, Mackenzie caught the attention of the then president Daniel Moi, who transferred him to Kapsabet High School which was performing poorly. "The President was concerned about his former school as an alumnus and a former teacher. He asked for a Kamba principal and I was transferred in 1987. The school was stuck at Division 2 and my instructions were clear: take as many to Division 1, which I did despite having only six months to transform the school," he narrated. He said that at one time the students at Kapsabet boys went on strike, saying I was too strict, but later came to understand the need for it. John Mackenzie speaks to Education News in his office recently. Photo/Agnes Orang’o.
Slaughtering school bull He stayed at Kapsabet for eight years since all his transfers were getting canceled and left in 1994 for Moi
Forces Academy. After three years, he was promoted to Chief Principal and moved to Lenana School which he headed for four years. Now this is where things went south; the visit by the efficient Monitoring Unit almost ended his career. When the school was audited, he was faced with serious accusations that saw him interdicted for three months. "The Nairobi cartels did not want certain tribes heading schools in the city. I was accused of slaughtering a bull for my son's wedding yet my son was in Form Four at the same school. The audit covered the previous nine years and every wrongdoing in those years heaped on me, yet I was just two years old at the school!" recounted Mackenzie. The audit also revealed illegal tenders, but luckily given a clean bill of health and transferred to Machakos School, which apparently was not per-
to work for wazungu teachers,” he recalled. He was posted to Precious Blood Kilungu in 1977, the same year he graduated from university, where he stayed until 1980 when he was transferred to Tala High school in his hometown. "I taught Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics in both schools and rose to the rank of principal without becoming a deputy because I was enthusiastic about teaching and produced good results," said Mackenzie During his reign, Tala was best in 1986 and topped in the Eastern region. He introduced additional subjects like Advanced Mathematics and Drawing Mackenzie Education Centre students next to the plane used for and Design, which reduced crowding training. Photo/Agnes Orang’o.
Mackenzie’s school where misfits are welcome to continue studies tion after being expelled,” the principal confessed. “We mentor them accordingly by engaging both internal and external professionals to talk to them. To do this we have to be very patient and tolerant. We can say for sure our efforts have paid off,” he added. He noted that in case of non-conformity, those who fail to change and are a continuous nuisance are expelled, although such instances are very rare. The school attained a mean score of 4.2 in the 2021 KCSE exam, trouncing established performers in the sub-county. “The journey to the top has just begun. We are targeting a mean of 7 this year in the KCSE exams as we have a good class which we believe will put us on the map," projected Mackenzie. Apart from extra tuition infrastructure, motivation and commitment, he attributed the promising results to the aviation technology subject offered in the school. He said that the reason he introduced the subject was that many students wanted to become pilots in the
The school that is more of a rescue centre for students shunned by other institutions. Photo/Agnes Orang’o.
IT is an integral part of learning at Mackenzie Education Centre. Photo/ Agnes Orang’o.
future. The avenue was created to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed. Besides, he was driven by the foresight that the education system was going to be restructured along skill-based disciplines as envisioned by the competency-based curriculum. "If a student takes the subject from form one to form four and pursues the same in college, they will get extra credit because they are already equipped with the theory and some practical aspects of aviation. Believe it or not, there are form three students here who can fly an airplane," said the retired principal with a smile. He said they were the first school of its kind in Machakos, adding to seven others countrywide, including Mang'u as the pioneer. “This plane you are seeing here cost us a whopping five million shillings," he added, referring to an aircraft sitting peculiarly in a corner of the school compound. He said the reception of the subject introduced a few years back was great as even reflected in the 2021mean score
forming well. Kalonzo Musyoka, the then Minister for Education, Sammy Kyungu, then Director of Education and Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Jackson Kang'ali at that time, made it easy for him to be taken to Machakos School in 2000. He was able to improve academic standards at the school to achieve its first grade A since the inception of the 8-4-4 system. Early Retirement Mackenzie attributes the good performance of the schools he headed to his dedication to providing quality education. After two years in Machakos School, he retired at the age of 50 to start his own school, Mackenzie Educational Centre, as advised by his father; and also ventured into farming, real estate and politics. The school, located in Matungulu Sub-county of Machakos County, is just 4.5 kilometres from Tala and popularly known for welcoming students dismissed from other schools. “I started this school in 2005 aiming to provide quality education. There were other private schools around but have since closed. I have a ranch at Koma with over 200 cows and big farms in Nguluni and Koma which produce over 100 bags of grain. In the school we do not buy anything because I provide everything needed from meat to grain," said Mackenzie. Advice to teachers The father of four boasts of well-performing schools which he headed and a good number of students who are renowned in society. Mackenzie’s advice to teachers is to invest while they are young and move around so that they will not fear retirement. Schools wishing to do well in exams should invest in an effective Guidance and Counseling Department.
of 8. Another motivation is the uniform, a sign of prestige as students wear their pride as much as their uniform resembles those of pilots. Mackenzie, who is also the chairman of private schools in the sub-county, observed that the subject entailed important aspects like meteorology, geometry and firefighting, among other features. He disclosed that the reason many schools do not offer the subject is that it is expensive to run. "The teachers are expensive to hire and also the practical materials cost a lot. I spend over 300 thousand shillings on practicals, for example. However, I am glad because it's the best performed subject and also the students are doing well," he explained. He disclosed plans to introduce a cabin crew course that will target post-secondary students. Among his achievements include having several of his students become private pilots after continuing with the course in college. After the course, they can secure jobs as ground and air hostesses and cabin cleaners, among other jobs at the airport. The challenges encountered include students who completely refuse to change and the high cost of running aviation technology courses.
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EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
St Ignatius Mukumu maps its way to academic success
Senior Principal, Sylvester Ashioya. By Richard Shichangi
S
t Ignatius Mukumu Boys High School held a Form One parents’ orientation session where parents, students and teachers agreed on how they’ll work together to ensure the academic excellence of the Form One students.
Deputy Principal Administration Aggrey Opele.
Speaking during the session, the school’s senior principal Sylvester Ashioya thanked parents for showing serious interest in the education of their sons by turning up in large number to engage in the noble discussion of their sons’ academic development. He assured the parents that their sons are in safe hands since the school has been performing well in academics for a long time. “In last year’s exams, we had a mean of 5.7. We registered 324 candidates and 96 candidates qualified for direct university admission,” he said. He added that the other students are eligible for admission into TVCs for diploma and certificate courses. He went on to say that the mean target for the current class is 7.8, which they are all collectively working towards achieving. The head was optimistic that the current class known as academic ‘Champion’ will drastically reduce the low grades as they improve the quality ones. Ashioya stressed on the need for parents to draw the road map of their sons’ academic performance early enough. He told parents that Mukumu Boys
A section of the classrooms. is a school with well-established academic programmes that will ensure that the boys reap the best at the end of their learning period in 2025. He urged them to own the school and have confidence in the teaching staff and the school’s management so as to collectively realize the school’s agenda. “We can only provide holistic development to the boys for posterity if we collectively work together for the sake of the boys,” he said. He revealed that necessary facilities and measures have been put in place to provide a conducive learning environment for the boys. “We have put up five classrooms, fenced the boarding section and constructed 19 modern ablution blocks for the boys. We have also renovated the dormitories and expanded the administration block,” he said. The Head noted that he managed to construct a perimeter wall and put up a modern gate for the school. “The school management has resolved to construct two more class-
School Bursar, Mr Humphrey Secher.
In last year’s exams, we had a mean of 5.7. We registered 324 candidates and 96 candidates qualified for direct university admission. Director of Studies Violet Juma.
Administration Block.
Chief guest Jack Nandi.
- Senior Principal.
School gate. rooms and a dormitory and improve on the school’s water and sewerage system,” he said. He expressed concern that the school still needs more Science laboratories so that they can provide quality education to the boys. “We are hoping to tarmac the walk way. The area MP, through the NGCDF, has promised to purchase a new school bus for us,” he said. The school BoM Chair Father Kenneth Lwile urged parents to support the school’s programmes by pay-
ing fees on time. The guest speaker Professor Jack Nandi urged parents to give priority to their sons’ education since it is the only sure investment. St Ignitius Mukumu Boys was established in the mid-sixties by the brother of Loyola to cater for the education of the boy child. It is an extra-county school with nine streams. It has a student population of 1940 and is known for churning out well-oiled students for the next level of education.
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EDUCATION NEWS
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Friends School Mbale initiates measures to spur academic excellence
Peter Omutiti, Chief Principal. By Shichangi Richard
P
arents, teachers, students and other education stakeholders of Friends School Mbale met at the school’s grounds to chart the way forward on the academic expectations of the Form Four class. The Chief Principal Peter Omutiti said that the school has what it takes to nurture the boys academically and
morally so that they can be resourceful people in the society. He added that the teaching staff is committed to giving the right content to the boys and that they aim to complete the syllabus in time and embark on the much needed revision to polish the boys for exams. “We have the necessary facilities that we’ll utilize well to enable us achieve our aim of sending more than 200 students to university and push the mean score to 7.5,” he said. He revealed that they have rolled out working and structured programmes to ensure that the boys’ academic needs are met. He said they had a number of challenges and that last year’s class did well and gave them indicators on where and how they’ll navigate the current class so as to achieve the desired results. He revealed that last year, they had an entry of 340 students and that they achieved a 37% pass rate since 114 students qualified for direct university admission. “One student scored A mi-
nus, 6 scored B Plus, 11 scored B plain, 33 scored B minus, and 63 scored C plus,” he explained. He said that the rest are eligible to join mid-level colleges. He expressed hope that with the good will expressed by the disciplined students, committed teachers and supportive management, Friends School Mbale is set to become a force to reckon with in Vihiga County and beyond in mat-
John Bureza Deputy Principal, Administration
ters academic. He called on parents to support the school and encourage the boys that they are able to achieve their academic potential. “We can only achieve this through the concerted efforts of all the stakeholders,” he said. He revealed that he had to improve the school’s infrastructure so that the boys learn in a conducive environment. “I oversaw the completion of the main administration offices and constructed a 38door modern ablution block for the boys,” he said. The meeting was also attended by the school’s BoM Chair Dr Philip Lumwamu and PA representative Mr Micheal Ochami. The teachers agreed to play their role effectively to ensure the boys achieve their targets. The students said they are able to achieve their mean target. The parents expressed confidence in the management of the school and promised to support the school morally and financially so that the school runs with minimum interference for the
sake of the boys’ academic dreams. They promised to go the extra mile to ensure this year’s class breaks the school’s academic record. Friends School Mbale was established in the late sixties by the Quakers Missionary. The school has grown in both population and infrastructure to achieve an extra-county status. It has a student population of 1500 spread across 6 streams. It has 65 teaching staff.
Overhead water tank.
Dr Philip Lumwamu, BoM chairman. Parents follow proceedings.
Students follow brainstorming proceedings.
5 storey building named the Kennedy Okoth complex.
School Bursar, Mable Waswa.
Main gate.
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EASTERN
148 Elimu scholarship
ISIOLO
KITUI
Youth, women benefit from vocational training initiative beneficiaries flagged off in Kitui Ujuzi Manyattani, a project being conducted in Isiolo and Meru counties, provide access to learning for people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds and those unable to access formal education.
Equity Bank staff addressing the scholarship beneficiaries.
Equity Bank management pose for a photo with Elimu scholarship beneficiaries. By Boniface Mulu
By John Majau 160 women living in conservation areas in Isiolo and Meru counties have benefitted from a vocational training initiative courtesy of Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) Training. NRT Training initiated the Ujuzi Manyattani programme to engage the youth and women in NRT community conservatives to gain vocational skills. Ture Boru, the Chief Economic Programmes Officer of NRT trading, said Ujuzi Manyattani was started when the youth and women in NRT community conservancies proposed to have vocational skills for those who have never been to school. “By offering an alternative source of livelihood, they are empowered economically,” he said. Boru revealed that the programme is implemented in partnership with
Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET), the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA), Kiirua Technical Institute and Laikipia North Technical and Vocational College. Jane Asimit from Nakuprat Gotu conservancy in Isiolo is among the beneficiaries of the programme. Born in a family of six, Asimit did not go to school as she was tasked with grazing her family’s livestock. She later got married at an early age. “Being a stay at home mother taking care of six children with no income, I had to solely depend on my husband for everything,” she says. She adds that she enrolled at Ujuzi Manyattani programme for a dressmaking course and that after only three months, she had gained entrepreneurial skills on how to measure and write and how to draw various clothes.
MACHAKOS
Kangundo High School: A sleeping giant awakened By Agnes Orang'o Kangundo High School in Machakos, which has been registering dismal results in the past, has shown tremendous improvement in the last two years. In the 80s and 90s, the school used to be an academic giant but somewhere along the way, it was dwarfed by other schools. The school managed a mean score of 5.6 in 2020 while in 2021 they raised it to 5.9. They have now set a target of 6.5 for the coming KCSE. The school Chief Principal Andoncan Barine Mbae placed the blame squarely on high indicipline, poor infrastructure, and low enrolment. These are things of the past now. "The name is big and we want the results to match it," he said. He said a number of measures, including teacher commitment, early coverage of syllabus and infrastructure improvement has improved boys’ pride and selfesteem.
Principal, Andoncan Barine in his office. Barine observed that the school alumni have also played a big part in elevating the school results. "They are represented in the school management. A few months ago they brought computers to us and have been involved in contributing for the needy students who find it hard to pay fees," he said. He noted that all the above are toned by rigid spiritual tradition that has permeated every aspect of school management.
148 Form One students who sat their 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exams in Kitui County have benefited from the 2022 Elimu Scholarship Programme. The beneficiaries were drawn from eight Sub-counties: Kitui Central, Kitui West, Matinyani, Mutitu, Nzambani, Kisasi, Katulani and Lower Yatta. Speaking to the beneficiaries, parents, guardian and teachers during the flagging off ceremony held at Kitui Township Africa Inland Church (AIC), Equity Bank Kitui Branch Manager Francis Kyalo Mbindyo welcomed all the beneficiaries to the scholarship programme. He congratulated the students for their resilience to study despite the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. He revealed that 627 students applied for the scholarships but only 148 were selected. Kitui Central Deputy County
Commissioner (DCC) Koinary Saidimu, the chief guest at the ceremony, represented the County Commissioner Mbogai M. Rioba. Saidimu highly thanked the event’s organizing committee for the good work. He also congratulated the children for clinching the opportunity, asking them to use it properly. “I want to officially hand over this team (the beneficiaries) to the Equity Bank, parents and guardians,” Saidimu said. Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Kitui County Executive Secretary Simon Mutunga Nding’o thanked Equity Bank for coming up with the Wings to Fly Scholarship Programme. He added that educating children is a collective responsibility and that since Equity Bank cannot educate all children, the community should team up and do so. Nzambani Sub-county Director of Education Alex M. Sharamo also addressed the ceremony among other
Equity Bank Kitui Branch Manager Francis Kyalo Mbindyo during the function. education stakeholders present. Kitui Central Constituency Member of Parliament Dr. Benson Makali Mulu was represented by the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Manager Benjamin Kinyalili. The Elimu Scholarship Programme is an initiative of the national government through the Ministry of Education. It is funded by the government, the Equity Group Foundation, the World Bank and the Master Card Foundation.
MAKUENI
Schools urged to enhance vigilance on drug use By Lydia Ngoolo Eastern Regional Director of Education William Sugut has called upon institutions to be vigilant on drug and substance use among students. Sugut noted that by being alert, school administrations will be able to get interventions in good time as all government agencies are working together towards alleviating drug cases in learning institutions. “Let the schools check the environment keenly. You can also use sniffer dogs as well as embracing guidance and counseling," said Sugut. The director said this while commissioning eight CBC classrooms in Makueni County schools. "In Phase One, we are doing 1,451 CBC classrooms as a region and in Makueni County we are constructing 255 classrooms. In terms of completion per counties in Eastern, Makueni is at 95, Tharaka 94, Isiolo 82, Embu 98, Kitui 99, Marsabit, Machakos and Meru are at 100 percent," he said. While at Makueni Boys High School, he congratulated the school for the newly unveiled facility, stating that it was the best class he has seen not only in the county but in the entire region. He commended the school for producing one of the best students in the presidential awards recently.
Eastern Regional Director of Education William Sugut (in brown tie), Quality Assurance counterpart Simon Maina, Makueni County Education Director, James Gachugi and Makueni Boys Chief Principal Raphael Diwani.
Makueni Sub-county Director of Education Onduso Magara.
Makueni Boy’s Chief Principal Raphael Diwani said he will organize his team to continue shaping the students academically. Sugut further said the government was doing all it takes for schools to run smoothly, warning students not to be involved in damaging property and instead use the right available channels in addressing their challenges. He however warned girls that they should not be cheated by anybody that they are ripe for marriage. "Wait until time is ripe and face the men who will come to your parents’ house to ask for a hand in marriage, not those crossing or jumping over the fences at night," he added. Eastern Regional Director of Quality Assurance Simon Maina called upon schools which have not completed the CBC classroom construction to do so for commissioning in preparedness for Junior Secondary School. "I call upon contractors to do quality works and in case there is a problem talk to us," said Maina. Others who accompanied the regional director are Makueni County Director of Education James Gachugi, Sub-county Director of Education Onduso Magara, Makueni County Quality Assurance Officer Samson Arodi, and DCC Joel Mwangala, among others.
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St Joseph Matiku, a trendsetter in academics and formation Since 2019 KCSE, the school has been ranked the best sub-county school among 57 schools in Nzaui sub-county beating even extra-county schools. It has also been ranked among the best performing schools in Makueni County. By Lydia Ngoolo St Joseph Matiku Mixed Day and Boarding Secondary School has established its academic prowess by performing exemplarily well and being ranked among the best performing institutions in Machakos Diocese. Since 2019, the school has been ranked as the best sub-county school in Nzaui sub-county , beating even extra-county schools. It has also been ranked among the best performing schools in Makueni County. The school’s Principal Patrick K. Nyolo said in 2021 KCSE, 24 candidates attained grades for direct university admission. “It’s a big feat for us because our entry mark is low. We admit students with 200 to 250 marks,” he explained. He added that those who scored below C+ have been encouraged to apply for courses in technical colleges. He thanked the teachers for their commitment to students’ excellence and parents for supporting the school. “We have team teaching and coordinated revision. The parents understand that at times students need to revise till late,” he said. He revealed that he has initiated revision tactics for the candidates, which have all worked. “We complete the syllabus on time so that we have enough time for revision,” he said, adding that each class is given a name and a slogan to psyche them up. Nyolo revealed that the students in the school are highly disciplined. “We hold barazas with the students. We also try as much as we can to implement reasonable suggestions by the students,” he said. He added that the move has ensured that students’ complaints are looked into on time and students unrests curbed. He revealed that as a result of its good performance, students from other schools benchmark in their school. “The act shows that we’re doing
School bus.
‘
In 2021 KCSE, 24 students attained grades for direct university admission and that’s a big feat for us because our entry marks are low at 200-250 marks. School Principal Patrick K. Nyolo
something good. We share with the students that our recipe to success is hard work and discipline,” he said. Nyolo, who is the organizing secretary of the Catholic Sponsored Principals Association (CASPA), Machakos Diocese, said the school has grown from one stream to three with a student population of 548 (277 boys and 271 girls) from 330 in 2018. “We have a programme of inter-
Principal (extreme right), some teachers and a section of the students. nal awards after every exam. We also have talents day on the last two days of each term,” he said. He reveals that the school pays for training of teachers by KNEC to ensure that every department has examiners to guide and share with the students on what to expect in national exams. “We do internal CATs and contests to encourage students to work hard. The students are also motivated to work hard by being given edibles when they perform well,” he said. He revealed that to boost performance in Sciences, the students do practicals every Saturday. He added that the Catholic-sponsored school prepares students for holistic development to ensure integrity. “We have Mass every Sunday and there are also Catechism classes for students willing to learn,” he said. Nyolo added that they all live as a family. “We have an endowment fund to support those in need. We also have family mentorship groups,” he said. The principal revealed that the school has a bus and that he has constructed four classrooms and two offices, modern boys’ toilet referred to as ‘State House’ by the boys and two laboratories.
School gate.
A section of the classes.
The recent project of modern toilets referred to as ‘State House’ by the students.
“The construction of the staff quarters is ongoing,” he said. He revealed that other than academics, the school is a champion in extra curricular activities especially baseball. The school has a shortage of
teachers, hence the BoM has employed 8 to assist the 14 employed by TSC. “There is inadequate land for infrastructural development. We do not have a computer laboratory and a dining hall, so the students eat under trees and we had to use makeshift dormitories for our girls,” he said. He added that the boys’ dormitory is very small and that the biggest challenge the school has is water shortage. “We spend over Sh.800,000 on buying water annually,” he said. The school was started in 2005 after the community donated land from the nearby primary school and other well-wishers like Build Schools Africa by Serena Williams and IFAD by Doctor Peter, among others.
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EDUCATION NEWS
5 JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Samoei Boys fetes top performers as they celebrate splendid 2021 results
Mr Kiptoo Kimosop, Principal. By Dennis Bett
S
amoei Boys in Nandi Hills town, Nandi County, recorded an impressive performance in the 2021 KCSE examination, leapfrogging the 7.01 mean points registered in 2020 to post a new high of 8.113. The school managed to send 215 out of 247 candidates to university under the government sponsorship programme, representing 87 percent, up from 62 percent or 149 students in 2020. It appeared among the top 100 schools nationally at position 83. It was position five in the county and the best in Nandi Hills Sub-county.
The school recently held a colourful thanksgiving ceremony held at the school grounds to celebrate the good results. The eventful day saw the official unveiling of the 2022 KCSE target as guests were entertained by various choirs from the area, including Kipsamoo SDA, Kosoiywo SDA, Samoei SDA, Samoei CU, Samoei YCS choirs. The school scouting Guest speaker Marube team also hyped the with the form four 2021. celebrations with (Inset) scouting team. drills and dance performance moves that kept our boys visitors at the edge of their seats. a c h i e v ed. The event was presided over by an thank Eldoret Cleric Mr Marube who lauded We the students for the exemplary results God and as a community, we and maintaining good discipline. Speaking during the event, the have realized Principal Kiptoo Kimosop expressed c o n t i n u e d his joy at the good results, saying they peace which has enabled us have a good produced one of the best students in name. We thank the entire stakeholder the county. Asbel Cheruiyot has since community for the good support they secured employment with Equity Bank. have accorded us,” the principal said. Kimosop said they have realized In terms of grades distribution, there were 4 A-, 38 B+, 62 B plain, 49 C+, 23 continued growth in candidate numbers C plain and 9 C-. He said they realized every year; from 221 in 2018, 236 in their dream of eliminating grades D and 2019, 239 in 2020, 247 in 2021 and 270 in 2022. E. During the event, the top performers “Today, we are elated by the good were rewarded with gifts and cash, with
As a school, we emphasize on discipline. We had a strong class of 2021 who had taken a transformative approach since they joined the school. Samuel Biwott, Deputy Principal.
A library complex under construction.
Thomas Bor BoM Chair.
- Principal.
Teaching staff.
Principal Kiptoo Kimosop gifts the chief guest Mr Marube.
Board member Julius Bore awarding the second best student in 2021 KCSE.
A plain taking Sh.10,000 and a laptop, Sh.5,000 for those who got A-, and 2,000 for B+. The Principal thanked the school chaplaincy and the Guidance and Counselling department led by Rev Simeon Karonei for streamlining the students’ discipline. He also Principal Kiptoo Kimosop awarding a thanked the churches in the class teacher. area for supporting the school. “As a school, we emphasize on discipline. We had a strong class of 2021 who had taken a transformative approach since they joined the school. Our aim is to scale our heights with the class of 2022 christened ‘Eagles’,” the principal said, exuding confidence that they will beat the target mean of 9.4. The principal said he has a strong team of teaching staff Deputy BoM Chair Mrs Sugut who are cooperative and have awarding the best student. greatly sacrificed their time for the sake of learners. He also thanked the non-teaching staff for their cooperation. The Deputy Principal Samuel Biwott promised to steer the 2022 class to achieve its target mean as well as produce holistic students who will shine globally. The Board of Management (BoM) chairman Thomas Bor praised Principal Kiptoo Kimosop rewarding the boys for their hard work one of the former students. and discipline, encouraging them to work on achieving the believed in the ‘Eagles’ team. set target. During the event, outstanding Senior Teacher Samuel Saina said performers from the 2021 class were that with his team, the 2022 class will given a chance to motivate the students break the existing record, saying they through an interactive session.
JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
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Musingu High targets higher mean grade in 2022 KCSE
Chief Principal, Benard Lukuya. By Shichangi Richard
M
usingu Boys High School stakeholders have reached a consensus on how they’ll work together to ensure the candidates excel in their forthcoming national
Deputy Principal Adminstration, Alfred Mbati.
BoM Chair, Mathew Esese.
exams. Speaking during the Form Four parents meeting, the school’s Chief Principal Benard Lukuya said that parents, teachers and students all agreed to work to ensure they achieve their set target of 8.5 in this year’s national exams. The school has an entry of 491 candidates and they have a target of 90% transition to university. In 2021 KCSE, the school registered 346 candidates and 212 candidates scored the minimum grade for direct university admission. He added that they recorded a mean of 6.9 as 4 students scored A-, 18 scored B+, 52 scored B, 69 scored B- and that 69 scored C+. Lukuya expressed confidence that they have what it takes to ensure that the students not only go through the course work but also understand the concept of the subject matter so that they will remain resourceful after secondary education. “We will provide quality education to the boys and enable them realize their full potential in academics,” he confidently said. He hinted that the teachers are committed to see that the boys are well prepared academically and well groomed morally in order for them to fit in the community after schooling. “We have functioning structures that ensure that the boys’
We have asked the students to minimize time wastage. We have also altered the timing of some of our programmes to give the candidates enough time for their studies. - Chief Principal.
Students at the meeting. academic progress is closely monitored and evaluated to ensure that they are moving to-
PA Chair, Titus Mugalo.
School Quality Assurance Officer Francis Mukochi.
wards their desired grades in the final exams,” he added. The Chief Principal further explained that necessary mitigation measures have been put in place to address any shortcomings that the students might experience. “We have asked the students to minimize time wastage. We have also altered the timing of some of our programmes to give the candidates enough time for their studies,” he explained. The school head further said that additional input such as exchange programmes, motivational speakers, teaching of exams tips and benchmarking among others are being employed to ensure that the boys are equipped with requisite knowledge to tackle exams. He added that he had to im-
prove on the infrastructure in the school since it goes side by side with examination success. “We had to renovate Oparanya Dorm, build a septic tank and construct an ablution block for the staff,” he said. He added that they have a small bakery in the school that provides income for the school and also meals for the boys. “The bread ratio the boys receive has increased from quarter to half,” he proudly said. Lukuya concluded by saying that he has also constructed staff quarters and that he is putting up a mega dormitory that will hold 300 beds upon completion. The parents pledged to support the academic programmes of the school to ensure that their sons emerge victorious in the exams.
Parents at the discussion.
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NYANZA KISUMU
KISII
New teachers inducted into the teaching profession themselves from time to time in tandem with the curriculum. "Learning is a continuous process," he said. Sauroki educated the teachers on the main roles of the Commission. “One of the mandates of TSC is to facilitate career progression and professional development for all its employees hence teachers should not engage in uncouth behavior,” he urged. "We shall monitor your conduct in the field but you must know that our job is not to be punitive but correctional,” he said. The officer said that TSC is a lawfully constituted Commission under Chapter 15 article 237 of the Kenya Constitution. 30 newly recruited teachers from Kenyenya Sub county attended the induction which Isaiah Sauroki, Kenyenya Subwas facilitated by Kisii County County TSC Director. Photo/Enock Human Resource Office. Okong’o. The official from the HuBy Enock Okong'o man Resource office urged teachers to arm themselves with imThe Teachers Service Commis- portant teaching professional tools sion (TSC) has conducted an induc- like schemes of work, lesson plan, tion for primary and secondary teach- record of work, class list and the ers from Kenyenya Sub County. learners' individual development reSpeaking at Kenyenya Secondary cord because these are the pillars of School during the induction course teaching. for 30 new teachers, Kenyenya Sub Mr. Nicolas Ogeti, one of the County Director of TSC Mr. Isaiah secondary school teachers who atSauroki urged the new teachers to be tended the induction, testified that he steadfast in discharging their duties. received a new insight into the teachHe urged the teachers to perform ing profession. their duties with passion as enshrined "The course has set a new base in the teachers' code of conduct. for me which I will anchor my teach“You trained and qualified and ing career,” he said. now you’ve been employed to put He appealed to his colleagues into practice what you studied,” he who might have missed the short advised. course to ask for a briefing from He urged the teachers to be con- those who attended it because it is an versant with the changing trends of eye opener for new teachers. education in the country and update
NYAMIRA
TSC sends stern warning to teachers, parents over defilement By Enock Okong'o The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will not condone teachers who molest and defile their learners, says Nyamira County TSC Director Wilson Koros. Speaking to Education News in his office, the director said they were aware of teachers who lure their female students into sexual intimacy, vowing that such wayward educators will be arrested and judged.
Wilson Koros, Nyamira County TSC Director.
He revealed that two to five cases of defilement are reported to his office every month. He wondered why members of the community conspire with the suspects to hinder justice for the child, laying the bigger blame on parents and family of the child victims. “My office has a lot of information about some ignorant parents who accept bribes from assailants to shield them from facing justice,” said Koros. The director revealed that the Commission had put in place measures to counter the cover-ups. “Whenever we hear of such reports, we move with speed to reach out to the concerned parents and guide them accordingly before they are compromised,” stated the TSC official. Already, the TSC has deregistered 43 teachers countrywide in 2021alone who were found guilty of carnal knowledge.
Teachers fear for their safety, call for Govt intervention Fredrick Odiero Teachers from Kisumu East have expressed concern over the rising cases of insecurity in the region. Led by KNUT Kisumu branch executive secretary Mr. David Obuon, the teachers said they are worried about their lives since they do not know who will be the next victim of the marauding thugs. “The thugs keep going scot free,” he lamented. Obuon gave an example of Mr. Amos Odoyo, a teacher at St. Alloys Ojolla Primary School, who has been fighting for his life at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kisumu. Odoyo was waylaid and at- KNUT Kisumu branch officials led by the executive secretary tacked with machetes and blunt ob- David Obuon(in a suit). Photo/Fredrick Odiero jects by unknown thugs. The KNUT boss added that it is threatens an already deprived staff tions, expressed concern over the hardly a month since Mr. Frederick establishment must be condemned number of lives lost due to the atOmondi Oliech, formerly of Xave- in the strongest terms possible. tacks by the thugs. rian Secondary School, was hacked “We call on the law enforcement Kisumu Central Deputy County to death at his business premises at authorities to up their game and se- Commissioner Alanson Hussein told Otonglo market. cure this city,” he said. the thieves that their days are numHe condemned such acts and The issue of insecurity in the area bered. He urged the public to give threats on the lives of teachers. has not only affected the teachers. information that might lead to the He said most of their schools Milimani Ward MCA Seth Kan- arrest of the criminals. are understaffed and anything that ga, during Madaraka Day celebra-
Anti-FGM crusaders take radical turn to fight vice By Norah Musega museganorah@gmail.com Anti-Female Genital Mutilation activists in Kuria of Migori County have changed tact by banking on youths to help end the vice in the region. This is geared towards promoting education as it has not completely been eradicated within the community. Elders who have been key custodians of cultural laws and practices are now the target of the activists. “Despite the female cut being illegal, misconception and stigma still persist, affecting its complete eradication,” Charles Olwamba, Amref Health Africa Programme Officer, said. Olwamba said the belief that uncircumcised girls are dirty and should neither mingle freely with circumcised girls, nor fetch vegetables and water, still undermines the fight. It is even made worse by the stigma that uncircumcised girls are promiscuous even in marriage. “To push through an end to these myths, we have been empowering youths through lead activists and grass root organizations to change a generation completely,” Olwamba said. He said they hope to achieve more towards ending FGM through
Anti-FGM Board Chairperson Agnes Pareiyo. Photo/Ben Leshau. a programme targeting youths, most of whom are young girls. They have been empowered to run such organizations to give them voice to accelerate the end of the vice. It is then that these youths become the next elders and pass the correct information about the vice. He was speaking in Kehancha town during a training aimed at sensitizing over 30 local Community-Based Organizations in the region on ending the vice within a generation. Faith Chacha, a programme officer at Micontrap-Kenya, said they
MIGORI
have started health clubs in 50 primary and secondary schools, which bring together both boys and girls to discuss FGM and gender based violence. “The group brings boys and girls from as young as eight years together to stand against FGM among colleagues and with elders to nurture the next generation of opinion shapers,” she said. Vincent Mwita, programmes coordinator for Tunaweza Empowerment, lamented that despite Kuria being a religious community and most people being law abiding, they end their circumcision ceremonies with open celebrations. Agnes Pareyo, the chairperson of Kenya Anti-FGM Board, said they have been supporting the network of youths as they have the biggest potential of change in future. “The FGM rate in the country stands at 21.8 percent. To have the vice abandoned within a generation, we count on youths who are themselves parents now, and above all, the next generation elders who will make important cultural decisions,” Pareyo said. She added that the older generation, even after knowing the illegality and lack of religious merit in the outdated practice, still demand a slow and permissive process of impacting the law.
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FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
St Mary’s Kyimuu JuniorEmali School, owned by author,
educationist, offers quality education Director and author Charles Ndili (Left). Graduation of ECDE pupils (Right)
A school committed to enhancing: Language mastery Constructive discipline Learner-centred Use of technology
By Lydia Ngoolo
S
t Mary’s Kyimuu Junior School-Emali is a Centre of Excellence focused on offering quality education to learners. The school has classes from baby class to Grade Six and the learners therein are handled by qualified teachers. The school’s director Charles Ndili is a renowned author and educationist, having written KICD radio programmes from 1998 and served as the principal of Lukenya Schools from 1992 until last year when he resigned to concentrate on his school. “I have also authored Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) books from 2004,” he said. Among the books he has authored are: CBC Mathematics with Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, CBC Science and Other Reference Mate-
rials with Oxford. He reveals that it was a dream come true for him to start his own school and set a good example to others “St Mary’s is well equipped with enough modern classrooms, buses for transport and a computer laboratory. It also offers well balanced meals to the learners,” he proudly said. Ndili added that the school is focused on nurturing children’s ability by identifying their talents and that the children perform well due to the highly qualified, experienced and committed teachers who offer parental care to every child. Located in the outskirts of Emali town next to the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) , the school is in a safe learning and clean environment out of town where there are no distractors. There is an ongoing piped fresh water installation as the school preEducation CS, Prof. George Magoha
The parents appeal to the CS to intervene and save many stranded and frustrated parents who have their students at home for failure to pay remedial fees. By Hilton Mwabili Less than a fortnight after learners from various schools across the country resumed classes after the midterm break, parents are now scratching their heads over the pressure of extra charges imposed by various school administrations. A number of parents are concerned that the pressure to go deeper into their pockets to cough extra funds outside the stipulated fee structure is way above their financial capabilities considering the current state of inflation, which is wrecking financial havoc on homesteads across the country. The situation, as reported across the country, has sparked concerns to
a number of parents, who now want the Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha to intervene and stop students from being sent home for failing to pay remedial levies. In Kilifi, there are reports that students from different secondary schools who had not cleared their remedial fees are not being allowed to attend lessons despite having cleared their school fees. In an interview, one of the parents, Joy Philip, expressed her frustration after she could not raise the money to take her daughter back to school since she did not have the remedial fees. According to Joy, she had used the money she had to clear the school fees. She said her daughter, a Form
Pupils making a presentation.
St. Mary's Kyimuu Junior School-Emali sign board. pares to start a boarding section. The director is always
Priest praying for the graduating pupils.
Pupils in class.
Neat lawns.
School buses.
available to ensure smooth running of the school. Take your child to St
Mary’s Kyimuu and you will never regret.
Outcry over extra levies in schools amid biting inflation Three student, was sent home on the opening day, among other students, for failing to pay the Sh.5,500 remedial fees despite clearing her school fees. The parents appeal to the CS to intervene and save many stranded and frustrated parents who have their students at home for failure to pay remedial fees. According to the parent, her daughter was instructed by the school bursar to pay Sh.5,500 remedial fees, Sh.800 for photocopy paper, Sh.400 for a spotlight and Sh.50 for a broom and a bucket for Inua Dada. “I feel bad since I am missing out on my lessons, and in fact, I already missed the examinations done at the beginning of the term,” said the student. Similar sentiments were echoed by Francisca Fondo, who said her daughter who is in Form Two, was forced out of school because she had not bought learning requirements from the school. “I had bought for my daughter some text books and night dresses as earlier indicated in the letter I received, but I was shocked when they declined to admit them, further directing me to
purchase the same at the school," she lamented. Edward Besada, another parent with a child at Ribe Girls in Kilifi County, said his child came home with instructions that they were required to pay Sh.10,000 for construction of new structures to expand the school’s infrastructure. The amount, Besada says, is to be remitted in installments and be cleared by the end of third term. But there was more. “The Sh.10,000 is not the only headache. We are required as parents to pay around Sh.1,500 remedial fees and another amount for Board of Management teachers. “These figures are astounding because they are just cropping up. They were never included in the fee structure and when I paid the fees I cleared up to Second Term and thought that we were safe. I was wrong….,” Besada cried out. In Mombasa, parents and guardians with their children schooling in different parts of the country are concerned that some of the financial demands from schools are above their
weight and the situation could impoverish them if not checked. “Can you imagine that at a certain high school in Central Kenya we are required to pay an extra Sh.40,000 to contribute to the construction of a new dormitory. “This amount is to be paid in installments,” explained a parent who requested to remain anonymous to avoid victimization of her child. According to the parent, the students were also required to part with Sh.3,000 each for introduction of computer lessons. “We attended a parents meeting and the school principal announced that Form One parents were required to pay Sh.40,000 for the new dormitory,” said the parent, who is a resident of Mombasa. Efforts to reach the head teacher were futile as he could not return our calls. Contacted, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KSSHA) Mombasa branch chair Peter Watoro said he was not aware of any specific case of extra levies.
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
RIFT VALLEY NAKURU
BARINGO
The most dangerous way to get to school
Lake Baringo Kokwa Island Primary School pupils ride on rafter boats to and from school rowing with their bare hands, risking attacks by crocodiles and hippos. Photo/Talarus Chesang. By Talarus Chesang Education stakeholders at Kokwa Island Primary School have expressed concern over the safety of their pupils. In pursuit of education, the pupils have to swim or ride on improvised local wooden boats across Lake Baringo. Earlier on, the school children would walk on the footbridge connecting the island to the school but the bridge collapsed and was submerged by heavy rains in 2019. The school’s head teacher Wesley Tulia said that after the footbridge got submerged, the County Government of Baringo donated one boat but the school lacks money to fuel it daily. “There are 272 pupils in the school. The poverty level is so high in this area that when we requested parents to contribute Sh.200 for fuel, only 50 parents did so,” he said. He revealed that to reduce the risk of being attacked by crocodiles, he
allowed pupils to report to school at 7:30 a.m. “Due to the heavy rains, the school’s field was submerged. We are worried that the girls’ dormitory might also get submerged soon,” he said. Tulia appealed to the government, donors and the leaders to act with speed and allocate funds for the reconstruction of the submerged bridge. Kokwa Island Primary school Early Childhood Development
(ECDE) teacher Risper Korkow said she encounters huddles ferrying the kids to and from school daily. “I always negotiate with the fisherman with engine boats. Sometimes I’m forced to dig into my pocket to purchase fuel to ensure my 50 pupils get to class,” Korkow said. Robert Loweri, a resident and parent, said they have made several appeals to both the government and well-wishers to help reconstruct the broken bridge but they have not received any help. He added that owing to the bad transport, the attendance in schools is very poor. “Brave young boys wade through the overflowing Lake using improvised wooden canoes while some pull off their clothes, hold their books and swim to school daily,” Loweri said. He explained that they were experiencing scarcity of raw materials to make the traditional canoes owing to long droughts. Loweri said the swollen lake is infested with dangerous crocodiles. “The rogue crocodiles recently attacked and ate a class three pupil at Katuwit Primary School and the incident has caused more fear among us.” Loweri said. Hungry crocodiles prey on the shores of Kokwa Island in the flooded lake Baringo where helpless pupils swim. Others ride on wooden boats daily to and from school. Photo/ Talarus Chesang.
BOMET
120 learners awarded Elimu scholarships By Correspondent
Elimu Scholarship Programme has awarded scholarships to 120 learners from Bomet County who sat their KCPE in 2021. Bomet Central Deputy County Commissioner Mr. Victor Kamonde Kisachi said the learners are among the 9,000 set to benefit from the third cohort of Elimu Scholarships across all the 47 counties. Speaking in his office during a courtesy visit by officials from the Ministry of Education and World Bank, Kisachi said that the 4,000 beneficiaries will be those whose parents live in informal settlements in urban areas, while the remaining 5,000 learners will be from selections done countrywide. He went on to add that the scholarships were being awarded since parents could not meet the costs of enrolling their children into boarding schools. They had been selected to join on account of their good performance in 2021 KCPE. The visiting officials, led by Deputy Director in the Ministry of Education
Mrs Catherine Michemi and World Bank Senior Education Specialist Ms Ruth Charo, were on a joint mission to assess the status and impact of the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) in the area. The officials visited Mangwet Primary and Kipkuroi Secondary schools in Chepalungu Sub-county and Kaplong Secondary and Sotik Primary schools in Sotik Sub-county. Sotik and Chepalungu sub-counties are among the 110 sub-counties in the 30 counties in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) which benefit from the project, whose aim is to improve student learning in secondary schools and smooth transition from primary. Elimu Scholarship Programme, which is funded by the World Bank through the Ministry of Education and implemented by Equity Group Foundation, is part of the government’s initiative to improve transition of learners from primary schools to secondary schools. Mr. Kisachi attributed the low retention of learners in schools to poverty, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and teenage pregnancies.
He said the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) collaborated with the Ministry of Education and other government departments to ensure learners in the area went to school. Ms Charo thanked the government for supporting the Ministry of Education in ensuring that school going children get into schools and learn. She particularly lauded the officials in the area for ensuring that girls who dropped out of school due to pregnancy get back to school upon giving birth. TSC Director of Quality Assurance Dr Reuben Nthamburi expressed the Commission’s commitment to employ and deploy teachers to the ASAL areas to help alleviate the acute teacher shortage in the areas. Bomet County Director of Education Mr. Apollo Apuko said his office was coordinating the delivery of education services in the area and working closely with other departments to address issues that hinder learners’ access to education in the area.
Nakuru leaders decry dismal performance of their schools in 2021 KCSE Rongai MP Raymond Moi is gifted a goat after presiding over a PrizeGiving Day at Mercy Njeri Secondary School in Nakuru. Photo/ Peter Otuoro. By Peter Otuoro Leaders in Nakuru County have complained about the poor performance of most of the region’s secondary schools in 2021 KCSE examination. Speaking at various functions, different leaders called on all stakeholders to meet and chart the way forward to restore the glory of the county which once boasted stellar performances in both KCSE and KCPE. Rongai Member of Parliament Raymond Moi said it was unfortunate that despite the national and county governments pumping millions of shillings into schools, the academic performance in KCSE spiralled. “All education stakeholders should be aware that we as leaders are expecting them to work hard to secure the future of our children,”said Moi. Moi added that it was only through good performance that the
county could get good professionals who will add value to the county. The MP, who was speaking at Mercy Njeri Secondary School in his constituency, also urged students to work extra hard to improve their performance. Speaking in the same function, formers provincial administration officer and an opinion leader Elijah Njoroge wondered why most schools in Rongai Constituency got mean scores below D+. “It is disheartening to have less than 700 students with a KCSE grade that can take them to colleges. Where are we headed academically?” he wondered. Elsewhere, Nakuru County Public Service Board Secretary Charles Kimiri accused parents of failing to take up their parental responsibilities. “Negligence has caused children to join bad groups which do not add value to their moral and academic progress,” said Kimiri.
KAJIADO
Kajiado politicians lay their scorecards in education
Kajiado County Governor Joseph Ole Lenku and Kajiado North MP Joseph Manje dancing with pupils during Madaraka Day 2022. Photo/ Obegi Malack.
By Obegi Malack obegimalack@gmail.com Kajiado County Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has defended his government performance in the education sector, saying the county has employed 900 ECDE teachers on permanent basis since 2017. “Better learning environment and provision of porridge to pupils has pushed the enrollment of pupils in schools,” he added. The governor, who was speaking during Madaraka Day celebrations in Ngong, noted that enrollment of pupils increased from 37,687 in 2017
to 41,000 in 2022. The governor faces opposition from former governor Dr David Nkedianye, who has been quoted as saying he laid the foundation for provision of services. Kajiado County is among counties that have few schools, especially secondary schools. In Kajiado North, one of the highly populated regions in the county, 7,400 KCPE candidates enrolled for secondary education outside the region. The region is among constituencies with a high number of private primary schools in the country and produces top KCPE performers.
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First 20,000 CBC-trained teachers to sit final exams in July The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has embarked on a nomination process for centre managers, supervisors and invigilators who will be involved in the administration of this year’s Teacher Education Examinations scheduled to start on July 4 and end on July 27. By Education News Reporter A total of 20,037 teacher trainees from the Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) under the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) are set to sit their final examinations this July. They are the first cohort trained under CBC, who enrolled for a one year upgrade programme in September 2021 when the government opened the application window from July 29, 2021 to August 13, 2021. The upgrade programme targeted unemployed P1s with certificate qualifications and Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers. They were to upgrade to the new Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) and Diploma in Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) respectively. The teachers applied for the programme after the revelation that no teacher will be employed in future if they are not CBC-compliant under the new Competency-Based Teacher Education (CBTE). The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) has embarked on a nomination process for centre managers, supervisors and invigilators who will be involved in the administration of this year’s Teacher Education Examinations scheduled to start on July 4 and end on July 27. KNEC has therefore requested the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to
KNEC CEO Dr. David Njeng’ere interacts with a candidate during start of KCSE exams at Starehe Boys Centre, Nairobi on March 14, 2022. Photo/Daniel Ogendo help in identifying teachers to serve in those positions during the administration of this crucial examination. The Commission, through a circular signed by Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nancy Macharia and dated June 8, 2022, urged all its sub-county directors to identify and nominate centre managers, supervisors and invigilators who will be engaged in
the administration of the examinations, and further vet them before deploying them to the KNEC Contracted Professionals (CP2) system by June 15, 2022. “The 2022 Teacher Education Examinations are scheduled to start on July 4, 2022 and end on July 27, 2022. In preparation for its administration, the KNEC would wish to have the details of all the centre managers, supervisors
and invigilators who will be engaged in the activity,” said Dr Macharia in the circular. The circular, which was copied to KNEC CEO Dr David Njeng’ere and TSC regional and county directors, further directs the TSC Sub-county directors to ensure that the number of supervisors and invigilators should be thoroughly verified. “The centre managers should ensure only the required number of supervisors and invigilators report to the examination centres and that online attendance is taken daily. This will ensure teachers will not be idling in examination centres,” added Dr Macharia in the circular. According to the circular, the Primary Teacher Education (PTE) examinations will start on July 4, 2022 and end on July 13, 2022 while Teacher Certificate in Adult Education (TCAE) will commence on July 4, 2022 to July 6, 2022. ECDE examinations will start on July 4, 2022 to July 7, 2022, Diploma in Special Needs Education (SNE) examination will start on July 4, 2022 to July 14, 2022, while Diploma in Teacher Education (DTE) will start on July 4, 2022 to July 27, 2022. The 90 PTE colleges and examination centres will have a total of 151 invigilators and 110 supervisors, while the SNE Colleges will be manned by 74 invigilators and 22 supervisors. The 18 Diploma Teacher Education
colleges, with a total entry of 889 candidates, will be managed by 50 invigilators and 20 supervisors, 443 ECDE colleges and examination centres will have 976 invigilators and 443 supervisors while 7 centres for TCAE institutions will have 7 supervisors and 16 invigilators. In the new development, the hitherto Certificate in Primary Teacher Education (PTE), commonly known as P1 Certificate, has been renamed Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE). It is meant to train teacher trainees who will directly manage the new CBC system upon graduation. Under the new plan, TTCs are expected to ensure that the teacher-trainee receives appropriate training and professional development, which will accord them an opportunity to engage in research since the tutors will guide the teacher trainee appropriately to embrace the shift from the Objective-Based training to the CBC, which is hinged on use of learner-centered methodologies for realization of expected outcomes. The new entry grade has been raised from C- (minus) to C (plain) for the courses for KCSE certificate holders, with C (plain) in English or Kiswahili, Mathematics, and any Humanity and a Science. This is a shift from the previous norm where only those who had a mean grade of C- (minus) were taken directly with no specification being attached to any subject. In the new curriculum, the teacher trainees will be in college for 3 years unlike before where they used to study for only 2 years, and a three month micro-teaching course commonly known to many as teaching practice, which will also apply to those taking DECTE. CBC focuses majorly on enlarging learners’ knowledge, experiences and imaginative understanding as well as the development of moral values for life-long learning, which necessitated the need to train the tutors to enable them coach the first cohort of Diploma teachers.
NEWS FEATURES
Chronic disease threatens to shatter woman’s education dreams
By John Majau
33 year old Purity Nkatha’s life has been full of strong will and an indomitable spirit to win despite the odds in her way. Nkatha had dropped out of Kisima Mixed Secondary School in 2006 after her stepfather, whom she was living with at that time, became abusive towards her. Nkatha’s mother took her to safety at her friend’s and to make ends meet, Nkatha did all sorts of work ranging from working in pubs to being a house help. Her desire to pursue education never waned and she got lucky when, in 2018, gender activist Irene Kendi offered to enroll her back in school and fully pay her school fees. Nkatha had sent Kendi a message on Facebook after learning about Kendi’s work. While Kendi paid Nkatha’s
school fees, Nkatha’s husband, whom she married in 2013, took care of her other needs. Determined not to fail those who had sacrificed a lot for her, Nkatha worked hard to excel in school and her work paid off when she scored B+ in 2020 KCSE. But, all was not rosy for her since just when she had thought she had surpassed the hardest part of it all, she developed lupus, an autoimmune disease that attacks body tissues and organs. Nkatha, whose husband and friends raised part of her fees to enable her join Kenya Medial Training College (KMTC) for a nursing course, is now pleading for help to afford treatment and school fees. The mother of one points out that it’s very costly to treat lupus. “My husband takes care of my treatment and that has really drained his finances. He has even taken a
Purity Nkatha dropped out of school for eight years but resumed studies and scored a B+ ( plus) in the 2020 examinations. Photo/John Majau.
small loan. I usually visit a Rheumatologist at Karen Hospital in Nairobi regularly for check-up and medical review. It is difficult to raise money for transport, a place to sleep, medicine and supplements. A visit costs an average of Sh.12,000,” Nkatha said. Even though it seems like a dark tunnel now, Nkatha refuses to accept defeat. “Though others might think that I can’t come out of this, I want to prove them wrong. My story must have a happy ending,” said Nkatha, who added that visiting different hospitals has drained her physically, psychologically and financially. “I really need support. I need people to hold my hand so that I can fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse and also serve the community,” she said. Dr Caroline Irungu, who attends to Nkatha, said Systemic Lupus Er-
ythematosus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect virtually any organ in the body. “Since it’s a chronic disease, the aim of managing it is to reduce disease activity, prevent organ damage and improve survival. The disease occurs when the body’s immune system produces antibodies that attack health tissues. Its cause is not yet known,” she explained. She went on to add that the disease is known to have a thousand faces because the symptoms differ from one person to another. The symptoms include fatigue, joint pains, muscle aches, fever and skin rashes, especially on the face or diseases affecting the kidney, blood cells, the heart and the central nervous system. She explains that management of the disease include good diet and regular exercise, regular use of sunscreen for skin protection from UV light and supplements with Vitamin D. “Medical therapy is determined by the severity of the disease and for symptomatic treatment. It also includes the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for joint pain,” she explained.
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EDUCATION NEWS
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FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
St Agnes Girls High School Shibuye on journey to topple academic giants Dormitory under construction.
Electine Kisiangani, Chief Principal
S
By Leonard Angatia t Agnes Girls High School Shibuye had a go at becoming one of the best schools in Shinyalu Sub-county after posting a mean of 5.945 in the 2021 KCSE. The institution is one of the few schools in Kakamega County that posted A- and is on the path of achieving better grades. It managed to send 89 students to public universities. Its good performance has raised its academic profile in the region, leading to an increase in student enrollment. The school’s Chief Principal Electine Kisiangani said they admitted 380 Form Ones in the current ac-
Sebby Auma, Deputy Principal Academics.
Beaming students revising for a previous internal test. ademic year. She added that they are working tirelessly to do better in this year’s exams. “We have registered 279 candidates for this year’s KCSE exams. We are projecting a steady improvement in the school’s mean to 7.5 in the next two years,” she said. She said she has ensured competent management of the school’s welfare and her commitment has motivated teachers to work tirelessly with the goal of churning out
Kawa Irene, Deputy Principal Administration.
Scintillating tuition section.
We are projecting a steady improvement in the school’s mean to 7.5 in the next two years. - Chief Principal
John Kituyi, Director of Studies.
well-rounded students and making the school the best performing in Kakamega County. She added that the school has partnered with other schools under ‘VIVLMAKINARBS’, an abbreviation for many schools that come together to have joint exams which helps learners to familiarize with KNEC standards. These schools are drawn from Bungoma, Busia, Migori, Homabay, Kisumu, Siaya, Vihiga and Kakamega counties. Kisiangani said since she joined the school in 2019, it has
steadily revamped in terms of discipline, diet, results and infrastructure. “We have expanded dormitory capacity by constructing a storey building that accommodates 500 students. The first floor is complete and is occupied. Construction of the other floors is ongoing and will soon be completed,” shared the Chief Principal. In addition, she has made sure that the security of students has been taken into account by the erection of a perimeter wall and installment of CCTV cameras all around the school. The 6-stream girls boarding school boasts of a student population of 1310. It also boasts of enough resources that sustain all students, teaching and non-teaching staff. The school’s neat and serene environment greatly complements the focus needed for learning. The Kakamega Catholic Diocese-sponsored school offers spiritual nourishment every Tuesday and Sunday where students receive sacrament.
Dedicated teaching staff.
Main entrance
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FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Mnagei Mixed charts path to academic excellence The school has a twin lab constructed by the NG-CDF and the parents while the school’s perimeter wall was constructed by the of West Pokot County Government. By Martin Ruto Mnagei Mixed Day Secondary School is on a pathway to claiming a position among the academic giants nationally. In 2021 KCSE, the school posted a mean of 4.00 up from 3.86 in 2020. It was ranked position 62 out of the 157 schools in West Pokot County. The school registered 130 candidates and 9 managed to score the minimum grade for direct university admission. The best student, Laurence Wafula, scored a mean grade of B+. He was followed closely by Naliaka Mary Wafula who scored B plain. Four students scored B- while 3 had C+. The school principal Hanna Lotuliatum thanked the teachers for their commitment towards supporting students. She also thanked the West Pokot County Government, the CDF offices and parents for supporting the school. “I would like to request other stakeholders and well-wishers to support the school financially and materially,” she said. She said the number of students from Mathare, Mawingo Road and Makutano has increased and overstretched the limited school infrastructure. She revealed that to improve its infrastructure, the school is putting up a storey building which will house six classrooms and six offices. The building is funded by the Ministry of Education and the NG-CDF. “The school has a twin lab constructed by the NG-CDF and the parents while the school’s perimeter wall was constructed by the West Pokot County Government,” she said.
BRIEFS
EASTERN | MERU
CBC class funded by the Ministry Of Education. Principal Hanna Lotuliatum.
Mr Julius Natoka, Deputy Principal. She added that President Uhuru Kenyatta boosted the school by donating a new bus. Mnagei Mixed Secondary School was established in 2011 by the community and Faith Homes of Kenya through the support of Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF) and National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). The idea to establish the school was borne out of the realization that the township in which Mnagei Mixed is located did not have a secondary school to satisfy the needs of the rapidly growing population made up of
The teaching staff.
Science laboratory constructed by the NG-CDF.
1,049 candidates a new pair of black school shoes, socks and polish. Their parents, even those who could afford the gear, appreciated the gesture as a demonstration of goodwill and awareness of their needs. Mr Muthuri, whose foundation has offered other educational assistance, including scholarships to the needy in the area, said he decided to buy shoes for all to boost their morale as they joined various high schools. “My friends and I decided to buy a pair of shoes for all irrespective of the marks they got or the schools they had been admitted to. It was a way of offloading the burden on parents,” said Muthuri. His foundation runs a programme dubbed “Girls Always in School”, which provides the learners with sanitary towels.
Abothuguci West Ward MCA Patrick Muthuri displays the shoes he donated to all KCPE candidates. Photo/John Majau. All 2021 KCPE candidates from Abuthuguci West Ward in Imenti Central Constituency of Meru County have a reason to smile after the area Member of County Assembly (MCA) bought them school shoes. Many of them, including parents, could barely hide their joy after the burden of purchasing new shoes was lifted off their shoulders in the face of the hard economic times.
Mr Dancan Otieno -Director of Studies.
Mr. Walter Kibet, School Bursar.
MCA buys candidates school shoes
By John Majau
business people and casual workers. The institution was carved out of Makutano Primary School and lies on a four and a half acre piece of land. The school’s vision is to be a center of excellence while its mission is to mould an all-round learner with the capacity to cope with the challenges of a dynamic society. Its motto is ‘The Harvest Is In The Seed’ while its core principles include ideas, team spirit, strict professionalism, honesty and trustworthiness, integrity, transparency and accountability, creativity, innovation and continuous improvement. The school’s deputy principal is Mr. Julius Natoka, the senior master is Mr. Peter Owino while the director of studies is Mr Dancan Otieno and the BoM Chair is Dr. Benson Ririm-
One of the beneficiaries Ramon Mwiti grinned from ear to ear as he reported to school. He had scored an impressive 351 marks and was selected to join Igembe Boys. “I am happy because at least I have a free and strong pair of shoes which will last for a good period of time,” Mwiti said. The MCA’s magnanimity was channeled through a local charitable organization going by his own name; Patrick Muthuri Family Foundation, which gifted all the
school bus funded by His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta.
poi. The school’s departments are headed by Ms. Joyline Cheptoo, Mr. Dancan Otieno, Millicent Ptoton, Monica Ptiony, Peter Owino, Anthony Merisia, Ms. Selina Domoo and Gladys Kanuki for Languages, Mathematics, Sciences, Humanities, Technical and Applied Sciences, Games, Guidance and Counseling and Careers respectively.
BRIEFS EASTERN | MACHAKOS
The future looks bright for CBC amid current confusion, assures KEPSHA Chair By Agnes Orang'o In a few months’ time, the first batch of children under the Competency-Based Curriculum will be sitting their final exams before joining Junior Secondary School (JSS). However, as days go by, parents express their fear and confusion about the modalities to be used to select their children for JSS. In an interview with some parents, they said the government has not come clear on how the placement will be done, citing the debate as to whether they will be domiciled in high schools and how their small children will relate with the big boys and girls. "It would have been better if they would have just continued in their respective primary schools," Evelyn Mwelu, a parent told Education News. Nonetheless, Kangundo Sub-county Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association chairman John Ndambuki asked parents to be calm, reassuring that the government had put good measures into place. He noted that as time for transition to JSS ap-
proaches, the government will come clean on how things will be done and answer all their questions. "There is no need to worry; everything will be sorted out by the government. Those worrying about their young children should know that they will be secure and well taken care of," he said. Ndambuki urged parents to support and get involved in the activities undertaken by their children, praising CBC as the model of education that is in line with current global trends. He noted that the curriculum is also bringing back the African culture that was slowly getting buried, as well as letting children explore their talents. "The 21st Century cannot be wished away. CBC is the most significant mode of education that should be supported by everyone and more so parents. Go for meetings in schools when called," he said. He called upon teachers to engage parents with Grade One pupils so that they can identify with what their children are learning. The chairman observed that after a few years, the curriculum will have taken root to run smoothly.
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WESTERN BUSIA
BUNGOMA
Varsity conducts research to unravel puzzle of failures in Mathematics By Mathews Bulimo The Kibabii University is conducting research in about 14 counties onto reasons why most students fail in Mathematics as per the national exams results in both primary and secondary schools. Addressing various stakeholders drawn from Principals, teacher Unions, Teacher Training Colleges, representatives from Non-Governmental Organizations, university dons and other education stakeholders during a one day stakeholders orientation workshop, Kibabii University Vice Chancellor Prof Isaac Odeo Ipara noted that the institution was keen to come up with solutions- based approaches to ensure that more students perform better in Mathematics. The meeting was held at County Green Hotel, Sikata, in Kanduyi Constituency, Bungoma County dubbed 'Strengethening In-Service Teachers Mentorship and Support Programme'. The don said they will work with affiliate African universities like University Of Daresalaam in Tanzania and The University of Zambia, with funding from IDRC Organization Canada and HELVETAS Tanzania, an NGO. Prof Ipara said that all stakeholders need to come up with strategies to engage learners to improve in their content- grasping skills to give them a better chance to secure admission in the university to study courses like Engineering and Medicine.
Also present was the director in the State Department for University Education and Research NanjalaKululu Nambirama, who represented the Principal Secretary Dr Simon Nabukwesi. He noted that teachers are key implementers- cum- drivers of education; and should be fully equipped through training. Nanjakululu reteirated that though teachers are not enough, the national government is keen to add more personal to improve the teaching of Mathematics and Sciences. He hinted that education should be accorded more respect by setting the bar high in terms of grading so as to encourage the students, especially female ones, not to fear to take Mathematics. On her part, a psychologist and lecturer at Kibabii University Dr Leonidah Makila, noted that once female students are given hope and mentorship, their self-esteem will be boosted to perform better. According to Dr Makila, teachers should also be given mental health training as some of them are working under harsh conditions grappling with a myriad of challenges. Her sentiments were echoed by Prof Julius Maiyo, a Mathematics Lecturer, who said 35 schools had been selected as pilot institutions to spearhead the programme in the 14 Counties. Among other stakeholders present included Busia County KUPPET Executive Secretary Moffat Okisai , his Bungoma counterpart David Barasa, and KNUT Executive Secretary for Bungoma South Branch Ken Ng’ang’a Milimo.
A section of stakeholders during the Strengthening In-Service Teacher Mentorship And Support Stakeholders Orientation Workshop. Photo/Mathews Bulimo.
Director in the State Department for University Education and Research Nanjalakululu Nambirama.
KAKAMEGA
Khwisero Member of Parliament Christopher Aseka has urged school administrations to properly maintain their institutions' vehicles so as to ensure the safety of their learners and teachers. Speaking while handing over new ultra-modern storey learning blocks put up in five secondary schools at Sh.74 million, Aseka expressed concern over the fact that some school managers misused the buses and vans under their care. The legislator also issued out cheques to 800 needy students placed on scholarships under his Aseka Miradi Foundation. “Many of the vehicles were bought using cash from various Constituency Development
Busia County ECDE teachers attending a medical training at Kaliwa Primary School in Teso South Sub- county in Busia County recently. Photo/ Gilbert Ochieng.
By Gilbert Ochieng Sixty-nine Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) teachers from Samia Sub County started a two-day induction course at Chef West Hotel in Busia town that is funded by World Vision in partnership with the County Government of Busia. The same exercise was executed to 119 ECDE teachers from Teso North Sub County last week. World Vision operates in the two sub counties. Teso Norrt is manned by by Jane Adongo with Samia under the tutelage of Benard Okotsi. The teachers are part of 533 whose terms were changed from contract to permanent and penstionable to bring to 972 that Governor, H.E Sospeter Ojaamong's administration has employed since the advent of devolution in 2013. Director ECDE, Douglas Barasa who opened the event told the teachers that delivering the curriculum should be core mandate and to get new skills instead of sitting idle. " Don't sit and enjoy thinking all is well. Ensure you have laptop, IPAD or smartphone to acquire digital skills, and no doubt teaching will be fine and enjoyable," he said, urging them to ensure CBC is implemented
Funds, parents and other donors and thus, they should be properly maintained,” he said. "We spend a lot of money purchasing these vehicles and it is only prudent that they be put to good use," he added. The legislator said school vehicles should strictly be used for official assignments and not private engagements of members of their administrations. He added that there should be special kitties to maintain the vehicles and that the money should be utilized properly. He expressed his commitment to ensuring that all schools in the constituency had buses and modern learning facilities by 2027.
to the letter. He added: " Those who are computer illiterate should look for institutions to upscale their skills. ICT certificate is now a must for teachers; the County Government will from January, 2023 send teachers to DICECE to aquire computer skills and other relevant courses." Barasa told ECDE teachers to observe professionalism and respect officers in the department and heads of their institutions and above all to observe dressing code. On the resurgence of another wave of Coronavirus pandemic, the Director told teachers to take precautions by starting to wear masks and observe all Ministry of Health guidelines including having hand washing points in their centres and observing social distance at all times. " I was a victim of this pandemic and it's by God's grace that I am still alive. Covid-19 doesn't segregate the rich or the poor, thus the need to take precautionary measures to avoid contracting it," he said. Bunywang'a Primary ECDE teacher Imelda Wanyama said the workshop will enable them make their schools self sustainable, noting that they will also be able to spend money from parents prudently.
VIHIGA
Candidates score highly to put Mululu Primary School on the forefront By Denis Lumiti
MP asks school administrations to care for school vehicles By Denis Lumiti
Samia ECDE teachers undergo induction course
Moses Mudavadi Primary School-Mululu in Vihiga County has put in place measures to improve its academic performance. This is after the institution recorded yet another good performance in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations. The institution produced some of the top students in the Western region and entire country. 19 of its candidates scored 400 marks and above with Matthew Musau topping with 421 marks, throwing the school into jubilation. The others included Hope Malesi who got 418 marks, Velcie Mmbone, 415, Maldin Mwangi, 414, and Gladwell Wesa and Elton Oketch tying at 409. They were followed by Fidel Castro Yakhama who scored 408, Joel Muhanda with 407, and Dean Ogeto, Innocent Shammah and Jamil Luhambe all scoring 406 marks. Also top was Jean Andega, 405, Elion Milimu, 404, and Patience Barasa, David Koffi Annan and Matthew Oundo each scoring 403
marks. My biggest Jimhassen Vonyoli had gratitude 402 marks folgoes to the lowed by Jercandidates who emy Akenga were very hard and Phineas Ihachi who working and had 400 marks disciplined, our each. teachers, the H e a d teacher MeBoard, parents shack Eboso and above all, said the results God Almighty. were due to hard work and discipline. - Principal " W e worked very hard and as a team and that is why we produced these results. My biggest gratitude goes to the candidates who were very hard working and disciplined, our teachers, the Board, parents and above all, God Almighty," said a delighted Eboso.
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Afraha High School, a rising academic giant Principal, Mr. Charles Murage. By Peter Otuoro
A
fraha High School has set out to establish itself as an academic powerhouse in Nakuru County. The school had an improved mean in KCSE 2021 to 4.841 from 4.582 in KCSE 2020. The school Principal Charles Murage said that 52 out of 306 students who sat the exams qualified for direct university admission. The best student Gabriel Otieno scored an A- followed by Grace Idosio who scored a B+ while Brian Esipila emerged third with a B+. Majok Makal and Silima Delvin got a B plain each as they closed the list of the best five students. The principal attributed the 2021 achievement to good cooperation and team work from teachers and students who united as a family to ensure attain-
Deputy Principal Academics, Mrs. Gladys Makori.
Deputy Principal Administration Mr George Okore.
ment of excellent results. Mr. Murage thanked his two deputies, Mrs.Gladys Makori in charge of academics and Mr.George Okore in charge of administration together with the guidance and counseling team for improving discipline and providing guidance to troubled students. “Our effective guidance and counseling team has assisted many students to turn their weaknesses into strengths and their threats into opportunities. That has in turn enabled them to excel in academics and co-curricular activities,” said Murage. The great performance has put the school in a positive light and attracted more students to the school. The school has a student population of 1714. Form 1 has 676 students, Form 2 has 411, Form 3 carries 309 while Form 4 hosts 318 students. The classes have been divided into streams to improve teacher-student contact, improve concentration and boost performance among students. The principal acknowledged the school’s Board of Management Chair Dr. Peterson Mwangi and his Parents Association counterpart Vincent Ouma for their support towards the on-going construction of a 15-class storey block which will assist in accommodating the increasing number of students. He noted that the school has a strong alumni association consisting of over 100 members whose main aim is to assist bright but needy students in the school. “Afraha High School Alumni Association has been instrumental in assisting the bright but needy students who cannot pay school fees and for an essential lunch programme. The move has boosted the morale of the students and their performance in academics,” he said. The school offers French classes and is on course to introducing Arabic classes to cater for over 200 students who are Muslims in an effort to accord them an opportunity to learn foreign languages. The school engages in co-curriculum activities, presenting the students with a chance to build and showcase their talents. Between 2014-2017, the school participated in music festivals both at
Boys in class.
Girls in class.
HoD Co-curriculum Livington Mutua and Music Patron Hellen Bartha display trophies awarded in sports and music festivals. regional and national levels. It received several awards and trophies. The school also participates in sports tournaments, mainly football and hockey. Mr. Murage added that some of the students will have the priviledge to participate in an international soccer tournament in Norway on 23rd June this year through the courtesy of the Ministry of Education and an NGO, Stawisha Jamii. He spoke fondly of the school being featured in a Presidential Service Communication Unit (PSCU) programme through KBC TV as the best secondary school in Young Farmers in Schools’ Agricultural Department. Dean of Studies Samuel Kanyara said the number of students qualifying for direct university admission has been increasing. In 2020 it was 42 and in 2021 it rose to 52. He attributed the rise to early syllabus coverage, commitment and teamwork among teachers and students.
Highrise classes under construction.
Afraha High School staff.
Afraha High School has a conference hall which accommodates 1500 participants and is used as an alternative source of income to support infrastructural development and to also buy academic materials to support the Students queueing for lunch. school. The main challenge the school experiences is fi- be a leading centre of excellence and nancial instability brought about by in- a role model in education and trainability of some parents to pay for their ing, while its mission is to provide quality teaching for the development children’s school fees and levies. Afraha High School started in 1966 of all-rounded individuals for national and has built the future of many stu- development. Its core values are integrity, respect, dents by enabling students to provide timely and quality skills for the nation cooperation, education equity, excellence, responsibility, participation and as its motto indicates. respect for diversity. The school’s vision is to
Parking lot.
Career Compass.
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SPECIAL FEATURE By Kipilat Kaptuya
percent on Female Genital Mutilation [FGM] cases and known for high illiteracy levels. She said they have talked to about 20 fathers and have got 14 girls who are currently learning at Ortum Girls Primary that doubles up as a rescue centre for girls who run away from retrogressive cultural practices. She added that many girls are still at home and that they shall replicate the methodology in other areas within the county. Puropoi Girls High School Principal Ms Jamas Muray, who is also a volunteer at IREP Foundation, said the new approach has helped to empower many girls. She said the platform has given girls opportunities that they have never had in life. “We have empowered young girls on health hazards,” she said. She added that the rescued girls can now speak Kiswahili and English and stressed on the role of a father in their children’s lives. She urged fathers to give their daughters a chance to get education. Ms Celestine Chepkemoi, a caretaker at Ortum Girls, said the two girls went to school when they could not even speak Kiswahili. She adds that he helped the girls with translation, homework, sanitation, looking after their belongings, bonding and taking them to hospital in case they fall sick.
In the remote village of Kotulupuogh, the effects of work being done by IREP Foundation and Too Early to Wed organizations can be felt. Fathers from the village have had a changed heart and started educating their daughters. At 12:30 pm every week day, Mr. Josephat Long’ole Loremoi, a 45 year old man sits on the akicholong (Pokot name for traditional stool), outside his grass-thatched hut ready to welcome his two daughters, Catherine Chemawieny (12) and Sandra Kaplech ( 11) from school. The father of 16 is a happy man, smiling from ear to ear as he welcomes IREP Foundation director Domtillah Chesang Irep Foundation coordinator Moses Lokeris his two lovely and beautiful daughters with some of the children under the and Jackson Long’ole Loremoi with his two from school with hugs and warm greet- Foundation.Photo/ Kiplat Kaptuya. daughters,Sandra and Catherene. Photo/Kiplat ings. Kaptuya. Loremoi, who has not attained any formal education, is very happy that his kids are in school. He serves his daughters milk as he engages them on how they were doing in school. Thanks to IREP and Too Early to Wed foundations, Loremoi has gone against the community norms to educate his daughters, for daughters attaining formal education in Pokot is rare girls had no opportunity to sit down with “Our aim is for parents to underShe revealed that they settled on Kodue to repugnant practices and beliefs. their fathers and that their new approach stand the negative effects of FGM and tulupuogh village in Masol Ward because IREP’s initiative has changed the has started bearing fruit as fathers have early forced marriages for them to make it is the most marginalized and remotest in mindset of a number of fathers in the area been actively involved in their daughters’ informed choices. We want to root out is- the county, hence children have no access and convinced them to take their young lives. sues of Gender-Based Violence and child to basic education. girls to school. It has provided for daughShe revealed that the concept is being marriages,” she said. Chesang noted that the area rates 100 ters to have a platform with their fathers to implemented in the most marginhave dialogues and discuss issues affect- alized and remote areas of KotuluFOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS ing them. puogh and Masol areas where FGM Loremoi said that he did not know practice is 100 percent prevalent. about education till he joined a local “The approach will maximize church. fathers’ involvement in the educa“The church has helped me. I have tion of their children. It will also taken all my children to school,” he said. help in the simple interactions that He is optimistic that his children will might seem small to dads but mean be a blessing to the family. a lot to their children,” he said. IREP Foundation Director Ms DomShe added that they are edutillah Chesang said the organization was cating the community on negative started as an approach to strengthen and health implications and are empowenhance the bond between fathers and ering girls through education. qualified for direct university facilities. their daughters and to bring to an end the Chesang reveals that the conharmful outdated practice of Female Gen- cept was started last year when cases admission. He urged the stakeholders ital Mutilation [FGM]. of FGM and early forced marriages “Through concerted efforts to chip in and construct more She noted that traditionally, Pokot rocked the county.
Initiative to rope in fathers in girls’ education bears fruits
St Francis Xavier Shipalo produces best student in Kakamega East
CENTRAL MURANGA
Murang’a County to reward best school bursars Principal, Dominic Ongeri. By Richard Shichangi
Bursars from Murang’a County follow proceedings during the audit training. By Peter Otuoro Muranga County Director of Education Anne Kiilu has said the county will award the best three bursars in the county during the Murang’a County Education Day. Addressing over 400 secondary school bursars at Kunste Hotel in Nakuru City during a four-day Murang’a County bursars training workshop organized by KESSHA, Kiilu said the roles played by financial officers in secondary schools was gigantic and deserved appreciation. Kiilu said for many years, school bursars have been seen as subordinate yet
they are the engine of all operations and activities within the school and during school trips for co-curricular activities such as sports and music festivals. “We recognize your work and appreciate the services that you have been rendering in our secondary schools,” said Kiilu. The Murang’a County bursars were being trained on the implementation of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). The event was attended by school auditors both at national and county levels together with Murang’a County KESSHA officials.
J
oy and ululations rented the air at St. Francis Xavier High School Shipalo after the school produced the best student in Kakamega East Sub -county in 2021 KCSE results. The school principal Dominic Ongeri could not hide his joy at the good performance. He lauded the best student Eugene Bulinda who scored an A minus of 77 points. He explained that they had 130 candidates and that 8
of the entire school community, we managed to produce the good results,” he said. He noted that this year they have an entry of 91 students and that they are targeting to take almost half of them to university. “The school has hard working teachers, a dedicated BoM and a concerned sponsor - the Catholic Church, all of whom are collectively working to improve the school’s academic standards,” he added. The principal revealed that this year, the school is working towards achieving a set target of 5.0 and added that they are also aiming at improving the number of quality grades. He observed that with disciplined students, ever committed teachers and supportive parents, the school will continue to occupy its rightful place in matters education in the sub-county and in Kakamega County in general. Mr. Ongeri noted that due to the good results, the school recorded a high Form One intake, which strained the available
classrooms for the school to enable the students have a conducive environment for learning. The head challenged parents to participate in the school’s programmes by paying fees on time to enable the young ones achieve their academic dreams. The 3-stream day school has a population of more than 500 students.
The school has hard working teachers, a dedicated BoM team and a concerned sponsor - the Catholic church, all of whom are collectively working to improve the school’s academic standards. - Principal.
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EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Chebwagan Boys posts sterling results, sends 175 candidates to university a mean of 11.2 (A- mean grade),”affirmed the Chief Principal. The 7-stream school has a student population of 1400, amongst them 415 Form Ones. It has 30 teachers employed by Teachers Service Commission and 21 engaged by the BoM. The Chief Principal said that they have a number of challenges which include few classes, no dining hall, few science laboratories and understaffing. The school has two deputy principals: Mr. Alfred Chepkwony (Administration) and Mr. Anthony Siele (Academics). Chebwagan Boys is a boarding school located in Bureti constituency in Kericho County off Litein town. Chief Principal, Josephat Otsieno.
Some of the candidates.
By Leonard Angatia
C
hebwagan Boys High School has established itself as a powerhouse in both academics and co-curriculum activities. Over the last three years, the school has been recording improved performance in its KCSE results. In 2021 KCSE, the school recorded a positive deviation of 0.57 and had a mean of 7.413 up from Teaching staff led by Chief Principal Josephat Otsieno (right).
Alfred Chepkwony, Deputy Principal Administration.
6.843 in 2020 KCSE. The school had a transition rate to university of 73% after 175 candidates out of 240 who sat the exams attained the minimum grade for direct university admission. The Chief Principal Josephat Otsieno said their school was ranked position eleven in Kericho County. “The best candidate scored A-,” he said. He went on to add that new and elaborate academic programmes, coupled with early syllabus coverage, are some of the new measures
Tuition Block.
that have led to improved results. “We are going to use the same strategy for this year’s class. We aim to achieve a mean of 8.1,” he said. He added that they have motivational programmes in the pipeline. He revealed that testing of exams is done according to KNEC standards and that papers are checked by the Heads of Department, Director of Studies and the principal for quality assurance before being administered to students. “We have a programme for weak students where they are coached on their weak areas,” he said. He added that all programmes are constantly monitored by the Parents Association representatives. “The PA representatives consult with parents, teachers and students at the end of every term to give recommendations on areas to improve on,” he said. He added that the school has a friendly relationship with the parents, hence the parents play their role of paying fees in a timely manner. Otsieno has initiated a reward scheme for students who perform well in Sciences and Mathematics. “This serve as a motivation to
other students to work hard,” he said. He added that the students are highly disciplined and that their grievances are looked into on time to curb students unrests. “There is strong Guidance and Counseling Department that guides students and counsels them when need be,” the Chief Principal said. He added that he has a team of dedicated teaching staff who are committed to ensuring that the students excel. “I lead by example. I teach History and it’s always ranked the top subject. In last year’s exams, it had
Newly constructed dormitory.
ICT laboratory.
Form Four tuition block put up by the Ministry of Education under the Maintenance and Improvement project.
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EDUCATION NEWS FOCUS ON TOP SCHOOLS
Chewoyet Boys National School posts exemplary KCSE results The school’s good performance is as a result of concerted efforts of the students, teachers and parents. The school heavily relies on team work from teachers and the sub-ordinate staff for its success. We also have the support from parents and other school stakeholders - Principal.
E
By Martin Ruto
stablished in 1958 by the colonial government, Chewoyet Boys National School has been an academic giant for decades. The institution reaffirmed its niche in academic excellence by posting a mean of 6.92 in 2021 KCSE. Its good performance saw it ranked the fourth best school out of the 157 schools in West Pokot County. For 2021 KCSE, the school registered 416 candidates, out of whom 226 scored the minimum grade for direct university admission. One student scored A plain, 24 scored A-, 39 scored B+, 47 scored B, 58 scored B- and 57 scored C+. The top student Faustine Indusa scored Grade A plain. The school’s Principal Mr S.B. Kiminisi said the school’s good performance is as a result of concerted efforts of the students, teachers and parents. “The school heavily relies on team work for its success from teachers and the sub-ordinate staff. We also have the support from parents and other
have been enhanced among teachers, parents, learners and other stakeholders,” he said. He added that they also have regular counselling of learners to guard them against external pressure. “A biometric system for both learners and teachers, which is linked to the mobile phone platform has greatly improved
accountability,” he added. The school sets targets for every class and ensures all members work hard to achieve them. The school has a farm and grade cows to supply food to the students and teachers. Chewoyet Boys School sits on 295 acres of land. It is situated about 3km from
Mr. S. B. Kiminisi, Principal (centre), with his two deputies.
school stakeholders,” said the principal. He thanked the school’s Board of Management led by Madam Ruth Kisabit and her Parents Association counterpart Mr. Robert Otsyula. He thanked the students for their high discipline. He added that several interventions have been put in place, including timely fee payment by the parents. “The staff is also united to complement each other’s efforts and regular meetings
Administration Block.
Mr. Vincent Kemboi, Deputy Principal. Academics.
One of the dormitories.
Main water reservoir.
Mr Andrew Ongere, Director of Studies.
Faustin Indusa Odanga, top student in West Pokot County with A of 82pts.
Biology Laboratory.
24 students scored A-, 39 scored B+, 47 scored B, 58 scored B- and 57 scored C+. Classrooms.
Kapenguria town in a cool and conducive environment for learning. The school’s vision is to be an institution of academic excellence while its mission is to empower the students’ wellbeing through the provision of quality learning and education. The school has two deputy principals: Mr. Vincent Kemboi and Mr. Amos Gesike in charge of academics and administration respectively. The director of studies is Mr. Ambrose Ongere while the HOD Clubs and Societies is Mr. Beadan Njoroge.
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A.C.K Kebulonik High confounds diminutive status to rank second nationally
Mr Sammy Kipkorir Seurey, Principal. By Dennis Bett
A
.C.K Kebulonik Secondary School situated in Nandi County posted impressive results in 2021 KCSE exams and was ranked the second best subcounty school in Kenya with a mean score of 8.1. Jubilant students, teachers and parents could not hide their joy at the good performance. The students carried their principal and the best students aloft for making the school proud. The school Principal Mr. Sammy Kipkorir Seurey said that 268 candidates attained the minimum grade for direct university admission. He attributed the good results to discipline and hard work among the students. “The students were very cooperative. I thank all stakeholders for supporting the school’s core purpose,” he said. He went on to add that they expected good results since the teachers had strived to prepare the students well. “Our aim is to produce students who can make a positive contribution
to the development of the society. We also train them to acquire values of self-respect, self-reliance, co-operation and self-discipline,” he explained. He singled out the teaching staff for sacrificing to teach and mentor the students, saying that they were highly motivated with a strong passion to teach. Being a national examiner, the principal pointed out that he had trained them and out of 22 TSC teachers, 18 had risen to become national examiners, a move he said had become a motivation in syllabus coverage and formulation of success strategies. He added that he has been motivating teachers by taking them on trips and seminars to as far places as Mombasa and rewarding them after surpassing his target. “I would also like to thank the support staff for anchoring all our programmes,” he said. The principal revealed that the school had grown gradually from a mean of 5.9 in the past 3 years to the current mean of 8.1. He explained that since he joined the school in 2015, he has seen it rise through 6.7 in 2016, 4.7 in 2017, 5.9 in 2018 when it was the best in Nandi North Sub-county and position 7 in Nandi County, 7.0 in 2019 at position 6 in the county, and 7.9 in 2020; topping
Some students pose for a group photo outside their administration block. the sub-county. And now attaining position 5 in the county and making its mark on the national scale, a crowning moment at position 2 overall in the sub-county category. The principal, who is actively involved in teaching Business Studies, said he wakes up early to teach classes assigned to him so as to set a good ex-
A section of the teaching staff.
Eunice Sugut, Deputy - Academics.
Former students, teachers and parents celebrate 2021 KCSE results.
Hillary Rotich, Deputy - Administration. ample to his teachers. The meteoric rise in the short period is attributable to his close relationship with the students, with weekly meetings dubbed ‘Principal’s Fora’ inspiring and reminding them their targets. Consequently, the students have fondly nicknamed him ‘nocturnal animal’ associated with his untiring busy schedule of monitoring and supervising them during preps, and being at their beck and call as early as before they wake. Seurey observed that the students are pretty disciplined aided by the Guidance and Counselling Department and his two deputies. He said he
has been inviting external motivational speakers to inspire them. He pointed out that the school’s population had since risen from 327 in 2015 to the current 1,310, which he said will jump to 1,500 in the next two years. He decried the limited infrastructural facilities; calling upon the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the constituency fund to support the school construct a modern science laboratory and more classrooms. Mr Seurey thanked Mosop MP Hon Vincent Tuwei who presided over the relocation of their local primary school
to give them ample space for expansion, having committed funds from the NGCDF kitty to the development. The visionary Principal said they are targeting a mean of 9.0 in 2022 KCSE, saying they are confident of attaining it given the level of preparedness and the unwavering commitment and cooperation of all staff. A.C.K Kebulonik was established in 1981 by the ACK Church as a mixed school with support from the local community to provide quality education to primary school leavers in the area. It remains a mixed school to date.
School Administration Block.
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KICD: Subjects for Special Needs Learners at Pre-Vocational Level
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JUN 11 - JUN 27, 2022
Over 90,000 enroll for TPD for fear of missing promotions TSC set December 2022 as the deadline for completion of the Introductory Modules, which is expected to take one year from December 2021.
acquire a Teaching Certificate renewable every 5 years using accumulated TPD points, while the subsequent applicants for Certificate of Registration will be issued with both certificates. At the end of each year, teachers will earn 60 TPD points based on the prescribed modules and 40 TPD points based on professional learning captured under TPAD; for example In-Service Education and Training (INSETS) by CEMASTEA and others. “TPD activities will be evaluated based on authentic assessment, which
will include reflective journal, participant led final synthesis and Individual Professional Portfolio Development and Presentation,” reads the TSC TPD document.
it government institutions mandated to capacity teachers, for instance CEMASTEA, Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC); and non-State actors who are in partnership with the Commission like EduTrust and United Nations International Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Currently, only four institutions offer TPD: Kenyatta University, Mount Kenya University, Riara University and Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI).
More service providers to be accredited soon TSC reveals further in the document that it will select and accredit more institutions as service providers through a competitive tendering and procurement process next year (2023). The Commission plans to accred-
NACC turns to teachers on care for learners living with HIV
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia exchanging pleasantries with Ministry of Education Director for Secondary and Tertiary Education Paul Kibet. Photo/Daniel Ogendo
By Education News Reporter Teachers are now afraid of missing out promotional positions as a result of not enrolling for the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) course introduced by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in 2021. The fear has driven over 90,000 teachers to enroll for the Introductory Module of the TPD since they are afraid the Commission is unpredictable in its hiring and promotional score sheets. A document prepared by the Commission on TPD titled Framework and Roll out Of Structured TPD in Kenya dated April, 2022, shows that a total of 96,186 have enrolled for the Introductory Module, amongst them 85,105 classroom teachers, 4,286 secondary school Principals and 6,795 primary school headteachers. The teachers’ fears are justified since of late, the Commission has been coming up with different employment and promotion criteria during mass recruitment and promotions, which to an extent favour those who have complied with newly introduced policies. For instance, during last year’s mass recruitment of teachers, the Commission awarded intern teachers an automatic 30 marks. The move gave teachers who were on internship an upper hand for absorption to permanent and pensionable jobs. In 2015, the introduction of the Career Progression Guidelines (CPGs), which focus on teachers’ performance for promotions and which resulted into the introduction of Performance Contracting (PC) for Heads of institutions and Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) for teachers in January 2016, saw tutors who failed to take part in TPAD or have low ratings miss out on promotions. CPG came as a substitute for the Schemes of Service (SoS). In regard to the current TPD, TSC has said that teachers have until December 2022 to complete the Introductory Module of TPD despite ParFirefox
liament stopping the roll out of TPD in March this year. The National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education and Research, in their report dated March 1, 2022, recommended that TSC suspends the roll out and implementation of the TPD programme until it conducts extensive public participation taking into account the views of teachers, teachers Unions and other stakeholders with a view to building consensus on the programme and increasing the number of service providers, institutions and centres across the counties for ease of access by teachers. It further recommended that TPD should be paid for by the government and that Parliament should enact legislation and pass amendments to Article 237 of the Constitution and the TSC Act, 2012 to remedy on the conflict of interest of the Commission being a regulator and an employer. TSC rolled out the TPD programme on September 22, 2021 at Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) in Karen. TPD has seven prescribed modules, each having 5 chapters addressing all the seven (7) Kenya Professional Teaching Standards (KePTS). These Seven (7) Standards in the KePTS are: a teacher should promote professionalism throughout their career, a teacher should have pedagogical content knowledge and understanding of Competency-Based Curriculum and how to implement it, a teacher should have knowledge on assessment and reporting, a teacher should know how to create and support inclusive education practices, a teacher should know and promote comprehensive school health and safety, a teacher should have knowledge of financial literacy skills and a teacher should know and practice instructional leadership. about:blank
Renewal of Teaching Certificate TSC maintains that upon commencement of the TPD programme, all serving teachers will be required to
NACC, which has the mandate to develop policies, strategies and guidelines to address all the aspects of the HIV response, has changed tact in the fight against the disease in schools among learners living with HIV/AIDS. By Roy Hezron The National AIDS Control Council (NACC), a state corporation in the Ministry of Health tasked with the mandate of HIV/ AIDS response in Kenya, has changed tact in the fight against the scourge in public schools; this time round involving teachers and non-teaching staff in supporting infected learners. The Council is now leading from the front, affirming the need to empower the teachers and nonteaching staff on how to ensure that learners access HIV care, treatment and support - including clinic appointments, nutritional support and adherence to medication. During a sensitization workshop of education stakeholders involving County Directors of Education (CDEs), representatives of school heads, Ministry of Education’s Quality Assurance Officers and the Teachers Service Commission officials, NACC reiterated that learners living with HIV require relevant care, treatment and support. The training was specifically meant to build the capacity of teachers to support learners affected and infected by HIV, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding learners through providing psychosocial support, acting as a link between the learner, the parent and respective health facilities, and reducing stigma and discrimination in schools. For scheduled clinical visits for learners living with HIV, the Council advises schools to remind guardians and learners to present their appointment dates to the focal persons to facilitate timely planning at the beginning of each term, as well as remind them of clinic appointments dates. The focal person can grant permission and facilitate the learner to access the health facility and notify the parent and guardian or accompany the learner to the health facility. For unscheduled clinical visits, the Council urges the school administration to encourage learners to approach the focal persons with such requests, and that the focal persons should grant permission to the learner whenever such
HIV SITUATION IN KENYA PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV
142,161 Young Adults (15-24yrs) 87,208 Adolescents (10-19yrs)
TOP 5 COUNTIES IN POSITIVE TESTS Homabay
NEW INFECTIONS
Nairobi
6,150 Adolescents (10-19yrs) 14,344 Young Adults (15-24yrs)
Migori Kisumu Siaya 0
500
requests are placed, accompany the learner to the health facility and notify the parent and guardian of such a visit. On referral and linkage to health facilities, NACC urges schools to be familiar with HIV and AIDs Prevention and Control Act (2006), whose objective and purpose is to partly ‘Ensure the provision of basic health care and social services for learners infected with HIV and AIDS.’ Recent data released by NACC showed that infection rates among the adolescents and young people have been on a steady increase since 2020, with the HIV situation in the country as per 2020 UNAIDS estimates showing that out of a total of 87,208 adolescents aged between 10 and 19, and living with HIV, there were 6,150 new infections. Out of 142,161 young adults aged between 15 and 24 years living with HIV, there are 14,344 new infections. The data showed that adolescents aged between 10 to 14 years who tested positive were 1,588 from a total of 101,613 samples, while the number that tested positive among adolescents aged between 15 to 19 years was 3,306 out of 460,917 samples tested. The number of young adults aged between 20 and 24 years who tested positive were 13,268 out of 933,175
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42% of adult new infections occur among the youth.
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samples tested. The counties with the highest positive cases were as follows: Homa Bay (2,389), Nairobi (2,374), Migori (1,516), Kisumu (1,308) and Siaya (1,092). Others are Mombasa (655), Nakuru (637), Kisii (606), Kajiado (597), Kiambu (579), Kakamega (509), Bungoma (406), Kilifi (359), Uasin Gishu (358), Machakos (344), Turkana (332), Nyamira (326), Meru (268), Trans-Nzoia (267), Kitui (261), Busia (258), Makueni (232), Narok (231) and Kwale (211). The Council has identified alcohol and drug use as a high risk behaviour which puts the youth at a higher risk of contracting HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). Other issues include mental health challenges, and cultural and religious beliefs with harmful cultural norms like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), early marriages, community taboos around HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH). Other issues of concern include low retention and transition rates in schools, negative attitudes towards HIV, sex education and HIV-related stigma, lack of economic empowerment, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and low access to youth friendly HIV, SRH and family planning services.
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