North Eastern KNUT branch officials have faulted Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for opposing education cabinet secretary, Amina Mohamed and Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA) plan to lower minimum entry points to primary teachers colleges for students from the region.
Last week, a letter from the Attorney General’s office in which the TSC sought a legal advice on the role of the CS in the lowering of grades to teachers training colleges said that there is no law that vests the CS or the KNQA with the powers to set such standards.
Addressing the press in Garissa town after a regional council meeting, the officials said TSC should stop creating wrangles with stakeholders describing the decision as an insult on marginalized communities.
According to KNUT assistant national treasurer Ali Abdi, TSC as the employer has failed to implement quality education and is a barrier to delivery of the same to the Kenyan child.
“It is unfortunate that TSC has continued to wrongly advice the executive on many policies which in turn antagonize and de-professionalize the teaching career to the disadvantage of our children,” Abdi said.
Abdi said already many students from the region who attained the reviewed grades were already in colleges countrywide and the decision will ‘psychologically affect them and their parents’.
Mandera County KNUT Secretary, Kullow Mohamed urged TSC to convene a meeting with stakeholders to iron out teething issues that are threatening to tear apart the education sector.
“As leaders we are receiving numerous calls from frustrated parents wanting to know the fate of their children in colleges,” Kullow said.
“TSC is an authority whose mandate is to recruit and manage teachers and does not have the jurisdiction over teacher training and qualifications. The AG should know that the decision lies with the Ministry of Education,” he added.
Garissa KNUT executive Abdirizack Hussein urged the president to intervene and have the matter quickly resolved.
“Most of the parents whose children have already joined the teaching colleges expressed their worries because of the turn of events,” Abdirizack said.
“We decided to take our children to colleges based on the ministry’s decision. They need to set records straight because as it stands we are confused,” said Amina Abdi a parent.
Through an affirmative action in education, CS Amina lowered the grades of primary teacher training colleges from C – to D+ while those of diploma teachers training colleges was lowered to C- from C+.
Counties which were considered within this bracket are Isiolo, Tana River, Homabay, Kwale, Taita Taveta, Lamu, West Pokot, Narok, Kilifi, Wajir, Mandera, Turkana, Garissa, Samburu and Marsabit.
The education sector in the region depends largely on non-local teachers and was almost crippled when TSC transferred more than 900 tutors over security concerns.
Following the acute teacher shortage, local leaders and the education ministry mulled several policy actions among them lowering entry grades to teacher training colleges for students from the North Eastern region and other perceived counties.
By Jacob Songok
KNUT officials fault TSC for backtracking on TTC entry grade
