The Government will next month employ more than 7,000 teachers to ease shortages across the country.
About 4,000 will be for secondary schools while the rest will be sent to primary schools, said Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
“We intend to reduce the teacher-student ratio to a reasonable level. This will improve the quality of services delivered by teachers,” he said, adding that the State had allocated funds to ensure the transition rate from primary to secondary improved.
“Our current rate stands at 78 per cent. This means that 136,000 KCPE candidates miss Form One places. We would like to close this gap to ensure all candidates get the opportunity for secondary school education,” he said on Friday during a prize giving ceremony at Kisii where he was the chief guest.
The minister announced that Sh50 million will be set aside to the national school, which emerged top in Kisii and Nyamira Counties in the 2015 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, to improve its infrastructure.
The CS blamed irresponsible parenting for the wave of arson attacks in boarding schools.
“We need to teach our children to understand that they are responsible for their actions. What they do now while in school will have a lifetime impact on their reputation and careers,” he said.
“People disagree every now and again but they don’t resort to burning houses. If we burnt our homes every time we disagreed, we won’t have anywhere to sleep.”
He urged students to refrain from indiscipline at the expense of studies.
Dr Matiang’i asked parents to join hands with teachers and communities to end gambling, drug and substance abuse – which he said were on the rise among students.
