Author: Hezron Rooy

Over 20,000 Teachers Set for Junior Secondary Deployment in 2025 The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced plans to deploy thousands of secondary school teachers to junior secondary schools (JSS) starting next year. This initiative aims to address the acute teacher shortage in JSS as the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) continues to be implemented. Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) national chairperson, Omboko Milemba, disclosed during the Kuppet Annual Delegates Conference (ADC) in Vihiga that the union had attempted to block the deployment of secondary school teachers to JSS. However, these efforts were unsuccessful. Despite initial denial by the…

KICD Confirms No Textbook Crisis in Kenya. The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has addressed concerns about the availability of textbooks, assuring the public that learning materials are accessible for all grades. The institution emphasized that there is no crisis regarding textbooks for learners across the curriculum. KICD Chief Executive Officer Charles Ong’ondo reported that textbooks for all learning areas from PP1 to Grade 9 are either already in schools or available on the open market. He explained that textbooks for rationalized learning areas at Grades 7 and 8 had been finalized in December 2024. These books, he noted,…

Engineering Board Orders Revocation of Sudi’s Honorary Doctorate Degree. The Engineering Board of Kenya (EBK) has directed Northwestern Christian University-Kenya to immediately withdraw the Honorary Doctorate Degree conferred on Kapseret Member of Parliament, Oscar Sudi. This action was prompted by concerns over the misuse of the professional title “Engineer” included in the honorary degree certificate. On Saturday, December 21, during Northwestern Christian University’s 17th graduation ceremony held at the Eldoret National Polytechnic, Sudi received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Leadership, Administration, and Management. The certificate also carried the title “Engineer,” which led to public criticism and formal complaints. EBK Cites…

CUE Cracks Down on Unaccredited Institutions Awarding Certificates. The Commission for University Education (CUE) has raised concerns over unaccredited institutions issuing academic qualifications, asserting that this practice contravenes the law. CUE reiterated that the Universities Act expressly prohibits any entity from providing university education without government accreditation. In a press statement released on Tuesday, December 24, CUE emphasized its commitment to upholding standards in higher education. The commission warned that it would take legal measures against individuals or organizations found guilty of operating institutions of higher learning without proper accreditation. CUE urged Kenyans to confirm the accreditation status of universities…

Ministry of Education Maintains C+ as University Entry Grade, Denies Changes to Admission Criteria. The Ministry of Education has dismissed circulating claims suggesting major adjustments to university entry requirements for the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba issued a statement on Monday categorically denying plans to increase the university entry grade from C+ to B-. Ogamba described the allegations as baseless and urged Kenyans, especially parents and students, to disregard such misinformation. The clarification was prompted by widespread concern after a controversial article alleged that the ministry intended to raise the entry grades…

TSC Promotion Score Sheet for 19,433 School Head Positions. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has released the guidelines it will use to evaluate candidates for the 19,433 school head positions recently advertised. The framework highlights the specific areas of assessment and the scoring methodology for interviews scheduled for 2024. Criteria Overview The matrix provided by TSC details the parameters for awarding marks to candidates. It emphasizes academic qualifications, career progression, technical expertise, management acumen, performance over the last three years, involvement in co-curricular activities, general knowledge, and behavioral attributes. Academic qualifications and school performance are given significant weight in the…

KNUT Urges TSC to Revise Teachers’ Career Progression Guidelines (CPG). The chairman of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) for Kakamega East Sub-county, Bro Nelson Ilamoka, has emphasized the need for urgent reforms to the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) for teachers, citing widespread stagnation in job groups as a major concern. Ilamoka highlighted that the current guidelines have caused many teachers to remain stuck in the same job group for extended periods without opportunities for promotion. Addressing a recent KNUT delegates’ conference in Mombasa, he reported that various resolutions were discussed to improve teachers’ working conditions. One of the…

End of Boarding at Hillside Endarasha Academy Next Year. The Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, Nyeri, will cease admitting boarders beginning January 2025. This decision follows the proprietors’ resolution to transition the institution into a mixed day Junior and Primary School. Appearing before Justice Kizito Magare on Friday, the counsel for the County Director of Education, Ms. Mumbi Kiarie, informed the court that while the school had complied with basic health and safety directives issued after the tragic fire incident in September, it had only sought an operating license for a mixed day school. According to Ms. Kiarie, the County…

Northwestern Christian University Under Fire Over Honorary Degrees for Kenyan Politicians. The recent conferment of honorary degrees to lawmakers Oscar Sudi, Didmus Barasa, and John Waluke by Northwestern Christian University has sparked criticism from professional bodies, raising questions about merit and process. The Institution of Engineers of Kenya (IEK) strongly opposed Sudi’s use of the title “engineer,” citing its protection under law. The organization argued that conferring the title without adherence to formal academic requirements undermines the integrity of the engineering discipline. Eng. Shammah Kiteme, the IEK President, expressed outrage over the certificate bearing the title “Hon. Eng. Sudi.” He…

University Funding Crisis: Over 234,000 Students Face Uncertain Future. More than 234,811 university students admitted in 2023 and 2024 now face a precarious future following the High Court’s annulment of President William Ruto’s new university funding model. The government is exploring options such as limiting funding to 30% of students, increasing the cut-off grade for university admission, or restricting state-funded admissions entirely. These measures could place additional financial pressure on already struggling students. High Court Judge Chacha Mwita invalidated the funding model on Friday, terming it unconstitutional and discriminatory. The judge highlighted that it lacked sufficient public participation despite its…