State urged to hire TVET graduates for senior schools

Grade 10 learners during admission to school. [File, Standard]

The government should recruit graduates of vocational training institutions to teach technical subjects in senior schools.

Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) Secretary General Abdi Haji on Wednesday said most schools had not started Grade 10 technical subjects because they have no teachers.

“As we wait for the higher learning institutions to produce those teachers, the government should recruit Tvet graduates with relevant knowledge to fill the gap," said Haji.

He said the shortage of teachers for technical subjects was hurting the Competence-Based Education rollout.

Addressing the ongoing 49th Kessha conference in Mombasa, which has attracted about 7,000 principals, he cited some of the affected subjects such as woodwork, metalwork, electricity, aviation and computer studies.

Haji also noted that subjects like sports were not being taught in most schools apart from those with diploma teachers.

He said the most affected were day schools, which have the highest shortage of staff in various subjects.

He asked religious leaders and parents to work with the parents to help address some of the challenges facing schools.

“The religious leaders and parents should be involved in guiding the children to learn how to be peaceful and love each other," said Haji.

 Haji thanked the government for supplying the schools with books for Grade 10.

Haji, who thanked President William Ruto for addressing staffing of senior secondary schools in the North Eastern Region, however, lamented that there was a lack of workshops in most parts of the country.

Haji insisted unrest in some schools in various parts of the country was alarming because of lack of funds to feed them.

Although the unrest is not common in the northeastern region, the main problem in the affected areas is because of the feeding program, which needs to be addressed urgently.

He concurred with basic education principal secretary John Ololtuaa that the religious leaders should work closely with the parents and students to help address the problem.

“The religious leaders and parents should be involved in guiding the children to learn how to be peaceful and love each other," said Haji.

Haji thanked the government for supplying the schools with books for grade 10. “As teachers we are happy that schools have received the books for grade 10 and some of the teachers have been retooled,” said Haji.