By Reuben Olita
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) Busia Branch Executive Secretary Moffats Okisai has said the county is illprepared to rolling out the Competence Based Education ( CBE) next year.
Addressing mourners during the burial of octogenarian Ayub Nyongesa Odikor in Amagoro, Teso North Sub-County on Friday, Okisai said Busia County, was privileged recently with elevation of Nambale Boys and Lwanya Girls into national status.
” In addition to the two schools, Salvation Army Kolanya Girls and Butula Boys also enjoy status of national school,” Okisai said.
He added: ” Despite this meritorious honour by the government, no school in the county has the capacity to roll out CBE as they lack the requisite infrastructure.”
” As the County Government of Busia and all stakeholders, we are illprepared to roll out the CBE. No single school is offering mechanics. Not a single school is offering power mechanics, electricity, building, and construction among others,” he said.
Okisai went on:” What we shall do is repatriation of our resources to other counties that are prepared. Our top schools don’t meet the threshold owing to shortage of teachers.”
Okisai said the recent salary increment for teachers was met with frustration and disappointment. The least paid teacher received Ksh36, with the highest paid teacher getting Ksh728.
” Now landlords want to increase rent for teachers who live in these houses. He urged landlords to be humane and stop such illschemes,” Okisai said.
Separately, KNUT Teso Branch chairman Alex Omoit has appealed to local leaders to join hands and build primary schools to alleviate the suffering teachers were facing owing to dilapidated infrastructure.
” Many classrooms are divided using plywood with some learners facing East and the others West, thus the need for concerted efforts to alleviate the problem, he said,adding that these schools lack laboratories for practicals.
Omoit said this year there will be three national examinations, including KPSEA, KJSEA, and KCSE. Parents and teachers will need to work extra hard to guide the learners by availing them with what they require to avoid disruption of their studies.
” We receive frequent reports of children getting lost for over 4 days under mysterious circumstances. Instead of reporting to the local administration near them, parents report to the school administration to help trace the whereabouts of their lost children.
Omoit also warned teachers who would be found with minors that they would face the full force of the law. ” If you feel such minors are better than your wife, buy her school uniform, she will look beautiful.”
