P1 course to be phased out

A P1 teachers in Nairobi’s Mukuru slum. An assistant minister says recruitment of teachers has been left open to public and private colleges because the government is more interested in quality than quantity. Photo/FILE 

By ELISHA  OTIENO  newsdesk@ke.nationmedia.comPosted Sunday, March 6 2011 at 21:07

The Government plans to phase out P1 teacher training and replace it with a diploma course.

The move is aimed at uplifting the quality of education in primary schools, according to Education assistant Minister Ayiecho Olweny.

Prof Olweny said that as Kenya moves towards the realisation of its Vision 2030, the education sector would play a leading role, hence the need for its transformation into an effective development machine.  

Speaking at Msomi Teachers College in Migori during a graduation ceremony, he said with the expected upgrading of the colleges, there was need to improve their standards.

He warned that educational institutions offering mediocre services would be shut down as the government would no longer tolerate colleges churning out half-bake professionals.

The assistant minister said recruitment of teachers had been left open to public and private colleges because the government was more interested in quality than quantity.

He dispelled fears earlier expressed by speakers at the event that graduates from private colleges would not be employed by the government.

He told all trained teachers to register with the Teachers Service Commission in readiness for future employment.

He advised the P1 graduands to aspire for higher education by enrolling for diploma and degree programmes if they had to remain relevant in the fast changing job market.    

The  Msomi college director, Bishop John Okinda, had earlier appealed to the government to give equal employment opportunity to teachers from both private and public colleges.

Meanwhile, the Education ministry has launched a Child Friendly School environment programme to ensure gender equality and equity in schools and other learning institutions.  

The Permanent Secretary Prof James ole Kiyiapi said the initiative covers five thematic areas of a child friendly environment, a safe and protective school, quality health and nutritional promotions and school and community linkages and partnerships.  

The ministry’s goal was to make education affordable, meaningful and relevant in the changing Kenyan society and that gender equality and equity was key to the attainment of these goals.  

He was speaking when he presided over the graduation ceremony at the Migori Teachers College.