MPs draft bill to ensure equal distribution of teachers

Kibra MP Ken Okoth says the bill will rectify unfair distribution of teachers

Kenya: MPs are drafting a bill that will ensure even distribution of teachers to boost quality of education in the country.

An education stakeholders meeting Wednesday heard that there are huge disparities in academic performance, a challenge attributed to unfair distribution of teachers.

Learning outcomes are greatest in Nyeri, Kajiado and Nairobi according to a new report released by Uwezo Kenya.

The report shows that Turkana, Samburu and Mandera have the lowest learning outcomes, in glaring disparities that indicate children in the top counties are six times likely to do a class two work than their counterparts in the last three counties.

National Assembly members of the Education Committee heard that pupil-teacher ratio is largely skewed with reports that teachers only prefer schools located in towns.

"Teachers decline to be posted in arid and semi-arid areas. They also decline to be posted to hardship areas often opting to work in towns and easily accessible areas," said Emmanuel Manyasa, Uwezo Kenya country manager.

He said all counties are confronted with unique challenges ranging from inadequate schools, severe drought, long distances to schools and cultural factors but noted that a deliberate effort to rationalize teachers must be done.

Kibra MP Ken Okoth revealed that plans are underway to draft a bill that would rectify unfair distribution of teachers.

"MPs and particularly members of the Education Committee are seeking to end this problem once and for all because we believe we have enough teachers," said Okoth.

He was responding to a question by Elimu Yetu Coalition national coordinator Janet Muthoni.

The development mirrors findings of The Basic Education Statistical Booklet, 2014, census report released by Ministry of Education last month.

The report says public schools may not be understaffed after all, and says fair distribution of teachers would yield optimum pupil or student-teachers ratio across all public schools.

Data in the new report says the overall number of teachers in public primary schools stands at 317, 477.

Of these, 201, 622 of them are on TSC payroll, with the remaining 40,449 under schools boards' payroll.

And in secondary schools, the report says there are some 118, 608 teachers. Of these, some 72, 194 teachers are on TSC payroll with 35, 524 under boards' payroll.

Teacher deployment in public schools is made on the account of Curriculum Based Establishment (CBE).

And yesterday MPs accused the TSC of not doing enough to rationalize teachers across the country.

In Nairobi County alone, data seen by The Standard indicates that some schools have in excess of up to 16 teachers.

"These towns are overstaffed. Some of these teachers when posted to hardship areas like Turkana, Kajiado and Mandera, they look for excuses to get transfers and they are granted, sometimes even before the lapse of the minimum five years," said Mary Seneta, Kajiado County Woman Representative.