Teacher shortage, challenge to education

Written By:Doreen Apollos/KNA,    Posted: Sun, Feb 26, 2012

Prof Kiyiapi says teacher shortage which currently stands at 80,000 teachers, needs urgent government intervention Permanent Secretary in the ministry of education Prof James Ole Kiyiapi says there is  an urgent need to employ 40,000 teachers to meet the current shortage in the country. Prof Kiyiapi says the shortage which currently stands at 80,000 teachers, needs urgent government intervention. He said the remaining number should be employed at a rate of 20,000 teachers annually, pointing out that if the gap is not addressed soon, most of the schools in the republic will face an acute shortage. The PS said this at Ortum high school in West Pokot County where he officially presided over the official opening of economic stimulus projects and launching of the school's strategic plan. The PS  disclosed that 18,000 teachers who were earlier employed on contract have been converted to permanent and an additional 5,000 were employed during the current financial year. He said his ministry is awaiting the finance ministry to allocate more funds to the ministry during the next financial year for the employment of teachers. On politics, Ole Kiyiapi said within the next two months, he will launch his presidential campaign and appealed to all Kenyans to support him. "Some people doubt my presidential candidature, but within the next two months they will know how serious I am." Prof Ole Kiyiapi challenged the pastoralist communities discard out dated cultures which affect education, noting that Female Genital Mutilation and early and forced marriages have contributed negatively to the education of the girl child. He told them to ensure that education is given first priority in the County, saying their regions will not develop if education is not taken seriously.