Alarm As 400 Teachers Resign From One County To Join Politics.
Concerns have been raised by education stakeholders following the mass departure of over 400 teachers from West Pokot County to join politics.
Martin Sembelo, the West Pokot Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) National Executive, told the press that the departures had been recorded since 2013.
He also mentioned that the majority of the tutors had left teaching to pursue political careers in county and national government, claiming that they were more lucrative.
“Some have been employed by the county assembly, some are elected MCAs and even MPs and others are nominated. We fear more teachers will go and this will affect learning,” Sembelo stated as per Nation.
He also urged the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to hire more tutors for the county.
Other stakeholders believed that tutors were afraid to visit the region due to an increase in attacks, mostly from banditry activities.
Sigor MP Peter Lochakapong, who used to be a teacher, also noted that because devolution required teachers to be delocalised, the majority of tutors had chosen to pursue other careers.
“The poor terrain, harsh climatic conditions and insecurity are a threat to new teachers. Many opt to go away. A teacher from Bungoma County, where there are no sharp hills, cannot teach in West Pokot County because he or she is not used to tough terrain.
That’s why most teachers are demotivated when they arrive in West Pokot according to him.
West Pokot TSC Director Bernard Kimachasi confirmed with the teachers that the region had a teacher shortage of 2,800 for both primary and secondary schools.
In October 2021, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) will launch a campaign to return over 250,000 Kenyan children to school in 16 counties.
West Pokot, Baringo, Bungoma, Garissa, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kwale, Mandera, Marsabit, Narok, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir, and parts of Nairobi are among the counties.
Almost all national officials at the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have also expressed an interest in politics.
Executive secretaries in Kisumu, Bungoma, Makueni, and Nandi will run for MP seats, led by KUPPET secretary-general Akello Misori, who is seeking to succeed Homa Bay County Governor Cyprian Awiti.
Chairman Omboko Milemba will run for re-election to his Emuhaya parliamentary seat, while treasurer Wicks Mwethi Njenga, vice-chairman Julius Korir, Sammy Chelanga, and Henry Obwocha are running for Kabete, Soy, Baringo North, and Kitutu Masaba.
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Catherine Wambilyanga, gender secretary, will, on the other hand, defend her Bungoma Women Representative seat.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has no national officials running for political office. However, at least 13 executive secretaries have expressed interest.
Teachers Service Commission headquarters in Nairobi
Alarm As 400 Teachers Resign From One County To Join Politics
