The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will recruit only 30,000 teachers in January next year to bridge the staffing gap in public schools.
The remainder of the 116,000 promised by President William Ruto during the elections campaigns has been pushed forward due to “the economic situation”.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu made the announcement yesterday, adding that the hiring will be done progressively.
Mr Machogu, speaking at Kisii School, explained that the current economic situation could not allow the President’s promise to be fulfilled at once.
“We know that this coming year, we had promised 116, 000 teachers but because of the nature of the economy, the way it is, we are going to do it progressively. So this coming January, we are going to recruit 30, 000 teachers and thereafter, we will be able to improve,” Mr Machogu told principals from Kisii and Nyamira counties.
The CS assured Kenyans of the credibility of the national examinations that are scheduled to start on November 28. He said that just like under the previous government, the administration of the examinations will be supervised jointly by various state ministries and agencies.
Warning shot
Mr Machogu put exam cheats on notice, saying that no examination paper has been leaked.
“The exam papers are closely guarded and parents should stay away from people who claim to be having the real paper yet their intention is to make money. The only time that candidates will interact with the real paper is on that particular exam day and hour,” he added.
Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Chief Executive Officer David Njeng’ere asked examinations officials not to allow mobile phones into the examination rooms.
Others officials who accompanied the CS during his Nyanza tour are outgoing Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development boss Charles Ong’ondo.
This year, Knec will administer three examinations – the inaugural Kenya Primary School Education Assessment, Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and Kenya Secondary Certificate of Education. About 3.5 million learners will be sitting for the national examinations.
“This time around, we want to assure Kenyans the integrity will not be compromised. Everything will be credible,” Mr Machogu told a multi-agency examination administration team of officers drawn from Kisumu and Siaya counties at Kisumu Girls High School.
“We will have 493 distribution centres. This is an assignment that the government is fully involved in. My colleagues in the Cabinet will be involved in this,” he said
At the same time, the CS said parents will be given guidance on the domiciling of junior secondary school learners by next year. On Wednesday, officials of two teachers’ unions differed over the matter when they made presentations before the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.
“As we open the schools on January 23, our young ones who are doing their exams will know whether they will be hosted in primary or secondary following the report that will be made by President Ruto,” said the CS. BY DAILY NATION