Magoha warns underperforming staff, threatens sack

Deputy President William Ruto and the Cabinet Sec. Ministry of education Prof. George Magoha congratulate Lwak Girls Secondary School students during Kenya national drama festivals and Film festival state concert at Kibabii University in Bungoma county on April 12, 2019. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Education CS George Magoha has made radical changes in a move aimed at promoting key programmes in the sector and threatened to sack those underperforming.

The changes include transfer of top officials at the Ministry of Education from one department to another in what signals a transformation under the new Cabinet Secretary.

In the changes, regional coordinators of education have been renamed regional directors of education.

Among those affected by the changes include Pius Mutisya who has been moved to field services and co-curricular activities from quality assurance and standards where he was in charge.

Key priorities

Mary Gaturu who was the regional director of education in the Rift Valley region has been directed to act as director of quality assurance and standards.

Nereah Olick, who was the regional director of Education in Western Kenya has been made deputy director of primary education.

Patrick Khaemba will serve as regional director of Eastern region from his current post of acting director of co-curricular and field activities.

John Ololotu, who has been the Nairobi regional director has been moved to Rift Valley to serve in the same capacity while Deputy Director of Education Martha Odundo has been directed to Nairobi where she will be the regional director.

Sylvester Mulambe, who was until yesterday a deputy director, will act as the director of policy.

Speaking after the changes were revealed, Prof Magoha said non-performing staff will be dismissed and replaced with “those who can assist the ministry realise its objectives”.

Magoha said the key priorities in the ministry, including the realisation of the Competency Based Curriculum, quality assurance, free primary education and integrity in national examinations, need competent staff committed to work. “I am asking lazy staff to either shape up or start packing up,” Magoha, who was accompanied by Chief Administrative Officer Colleta Suda, Basic Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang and TSC boss Nancy Macharia, said.

The CS was speaking in a meeting with county education directors and other officials. He accused some staff of ineptitude, saying they had failed to oversee smooth unrolling of school programmes.

Magoha also instructed the directors to conduct regular inspections in schools to establish if government resources were being utilised accordingly.

National exams

The first term report of the Competency Based Curriculum implementation, he said, will be used as a guide to improve the roll-out in the second term.

“Any initial challenges will be addressed with great precision to ensure the education we deliver to our children meets global standards,” said Magoha.

At the same time, the CS said the ministry’s multi-sectoral team had been beefed up to enhance the integrity of national examinations in both secondary ad primary school levels, warning cartels that the high surveillance will net them. “We are not going, in any way, to drop the ball anywhere, any time,” he warned.

The surveillance include stronger pre-monitoring exercise that will also be resourceful in addressing indiscipline in schools.  

[email protected]