Teaching in Kenya is the only profession where the government employs “untrained teachers” to teach in places like the North-eastern part of the country. It is probably the only profession in the country that lacks an independent self-regulating and standard setting body. This is done by the teachers’ employer. Journalists, medical practitioners, lawyers, engineers, accountants, all have independent, aggressive self-regulating bodies that are always pro-members. Teachers however, have their unions which are mostly involved with terms and conditions and welfare of members.
The work of determining teachers worth is left to people who are not members of the profession. That is why the bodies tasked with employing or proposing remuneration for public servants find it easy to rank a P1 teacher at the same rank as front office staff in other government departments and agencies. It is also the reason why a graduate teachers holding Bachelor of Education degree is ranked at the same level as a certificate holding clerk in some departments all paid by the same government.