National government has announced plans to conduct mass recruitment of 20,000 additional teachers plus the construction of additional 16,000 classrooms with an aim to facilitate implementation of the Competency Based Curriculum.
According to thd the Basic Education Permanent Secretary Belio Kipsang in collaboration with the Interior Ministry Raymond Omollo, the plan aims to address the scarcity of teachers in basic education institutions.
The ministry officials announced that the recruitment process is scheduled to start in July this year, 2024.
While speaking during an education day ceremony at Rang’i Primary School and an education visit to Orero Boys in Rangwe constituency on Friday,the PS indicated the the recruitment of new teachers would create a conducive learning environment for students.
Kipsang further said hat this recruitment drive would alleviate the burden on School Boards of Management (BOM) after the teacher recruitment.
Kipsang also said that most schools have a serious teacher shortage in which 50 per cent of teachers are employed by the BOM.
He added that the government is putting measures in place to address the issue as well.
Kenya has been experiencing teacher shortage being a major challenge to implementing the CBC and more so in junior secondary schools.
Across all the junior schools , Several teachers have expressed concerns about being overloaded with CBC wotk, teaching four or more subjects despite being trained for only two.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia when she appeared before the National Assembly Education Committee on the budget estimates on Monday 15, 2023.Image/Courtesy
In response to this, Kipsang reassured that the government is coming up with strategies to overcome these challenges and ensuring timely education delivery.
In addition to mass recruitment of teachers, the ps equally disclosed plans to construct 16,000 classrooms meant for Grade nine learners this year, as a plan to alleviate the shortage of classrooms in junior secondary schools.
