Author: Hezron Rooy

KNUT: Graduate Teachers Not Skilled for JSS, Demands Recognition for Primary Teachers Primary school teachers have expressed discontent with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for hiring graduate teachers to teach Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) instead of promoting them, despite upgrading their skills. Represented by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), the teachers argued that many of the graduate teachers employed lacked the necessary skills for JSS. In a conversation with the Nation, Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu stated that the graduate teachers are not adequately prepared, leading to ineffective teaching in JSS. Follow Teachers Updates On X Oyuu questioned the…

Rising Teen Pregnancies as 2,900 Teenage Girls Impregnated in Malava 2023/24 A community-based organization in Malava is actively addressing the growing issue of teen pregnancies, which has been identified as particularly prevalent in the area. Statistics indicate that from 2023 to 2024, more than 2,900 girls in Malava Sub-county became pregnant, highlighting a significant concern. Stephen Shitanda, chairman of the Boda Boda CBO, emphasized the urgency of the situation during a community gathering at Namagara market in Manda Shivanga Ward. He stressed the need for collective efforts to combat the widespread issue of teen pregnancies. The CBO has initiated educational…

KNUT Wants TSC to Hire Diploma Teachers in JSS, Questions P1 Teacher Retraining The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has urged the government to hire Diploma teachers for Grades 8 and 9. KNUT Secretary General Collins Oyuu highlighted the urgent need for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to act on teacher promotions and address the broader issues affecting the teaching profession in Kenya. Oyuu called on the Ministry of Education and the TSC to reconsider the allocation of teaching responsibilities, questioning the rationale behind sending P1 teachers back to college for additional training if they were not to teach…

Why Top KCSE Students Prefer Technical Education Over Universities In recent years, there has been a discernible shift among Kenya’s top KCSE exam performers towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutes rather than traditional university paths. This trend is motivated by several compelling reasons, including the practical nature of TVET education, its alignment with industry demands, and its cost-effectiveness compared to university alternatives. Omondi Ngota, a former lecturer at Kabete National Polytechnic, has witnessed this transformation firsthand. He notes that TVET institutions, once perceived as a secondary option for academically weaker students, are now gaining recognition for their…

Head Teachers Sound Alarm on Capitation Fund Delays as Fee Payments Lag Schools nationwide are sounding the alarm due to delays in the release of capitation funds, which arrived a month after the start of the second term. This financial shortfall is disrupting normal operations. The situation is further exacerbated by late fee payments from parents. Head teachers in junior secondary and primary schools report they are not only struggling with daily activities but also straining to address teacher shortages and meet the needs of the Competency-Based Curriculum. Impact on Primary and Junior Secondary Schools Johnson Nzioka, Chairman of the…

No Teachers, No Capitation Funds: JSS Suffers Government Neglect The ongoing crisis in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) has intensified as the government has yet to release the capitation funds for the second term, three weeks after the schools reopened. Public school education has been disrupted for three weeks due to a strike by JSS intern teachers demanding permanent and pensionable employment terms. Last week, Parliament addressed the issue by allocating funds in the upcoming financial year to employ 26,000 of the 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms. The National Parents Association (NPA) expressed concern over the financial strain…

Kilifi JSS Teachers to Strike at Retooling Centers, Reject TSC-KUPPET Agreement More than 1200 junior secondary school teachers in Kilifi County have refused to end their strike, asserting that their representatives were compromised. Speaking in Malindi, they insisted that they would only consider ending the strike once the national government fulfills all their demands, particularly the employment of 46,000 teachers, rather than focusing on internship issues. Azani Ngumbao, the Secretary General of the Kilifi County Union of Junior School Teachers, expressed dismay over the junior secondary school leadership’s announcement to end the strike through media channels. He clarified that their…

KNUT Push for Tax Exemptions for Teachers, Compensation Incentive The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called for teachers’ exemptions from certain taxes to motivate tutors and improve educational quality. Dan Aloo of the Knut National Executive Council demanded that teachers be exempted from the Housing Levy and other taxes, proposing a 30 percent compensation incentive. “Teachers should be exempted from the Housing Levy and other unorthodox taxation. We demand incentives like 30 percent compensation,” said Aloo. Speaking in Mombasa, Aloo insisted that house allowances for Mombasa teachers should be equal to those of their Nairobi counterparts, in line with the…

JSS Teachers Dismiss TSC-KUPPET Return-To-Work Deal, Citing Betrayal The ongoing strike by Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers has been marred by confusion due to conflicting statements from various lobbies. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) previously announced it had brokered a deal with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to end the strike. Kuppet reported that TSC agreed to hire JSS teachers on permanent terms in the next financial year, ending the three-week strike. Akello Misori, Kuppet’s Secretary General, confirmed that show-cause letters issued to striking teachers would be withdrawn, and emphasized that JSS teachers, not being union members,…

TSC to Withdraw JSS Teacher’s Show Cause Letters as Interns Resume Duties The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to withdraw the show cause letters issued to junior secondary school (JSS) teachers for absconding duty. This decision follows a return-to-work agreement signed between the JSS and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) leadership in Nairobi. KUPPET Secretary General Akelo Misori reported that these letters had been issued despite the National Assembly Committee of Education’s efforts to lobby for more funds to resolve the impasse. The 46,000 JSS teachers had been protesting the government’s failure to employ them…