Education stakeholders from Mombasa have been urged to support government programmes especially within the education sector.
According to the Director of Communications office of the Education Cabinet Secretary, Geoffrey Ombati the education ministry is currently implementing different reforms.
Speaking in Mombasa during a meeting with a section of teachers and other stakeholders, Ombati said the stakeholders are key towards the implementation of the programmes.
"The ministry has already started implementing some reform programmes and I know you are all aware of some of those programmes. Mine is to kindly ask you to please support this programmes." said Ombati.
Adding " There are some individuals whose work is to just go around and critisize any programme or project being undertaken by this government, please do not listen to them."
Among the issues raised during the meeting was the employment of teachers.
"We have alot of qualified teachers out there who have always been complaining of lack of employment, this is a major concern" said Evans Momanyi, an education stakeholder from Mombasa
Commenting on the issue, Ombati revealed that the ministry through Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) is planning to employ more teachers.
"I understand that the issue of unemployment is a major concern. The government will carry out mass recruitement of new teachers this year so just be on the look out" said Ombati
The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms findings indicate that public primary schools have 223,296 teachers, but need up to 267,792 teachers.
It further reveals that there are some 9,246 secondary schools in the country with a total of 123,985 teachers, yet they need 182,566. This means the institutions suffer a shortfall of 58,581 teachers.
Late last year ,Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu halted the implementation of the presidential working group pending Parliament approval.
In a statement to Parliament, Machogu said the rollout will now await approval from Parliament.
Among the recommendations that were being rolled out is the new grading system, the new funding model as well as the rationalisation of new learning areas.
