Garissa leaders and stakeholders welcome the removal of the subject cluster

Garissa,

Monday, September 11, 2023

KNA by Jacob Songok

A section of leaders and education stakeholders from Garissa county have thanked the government for acting on the recommendations of the presidential working party, which recommended the removal of the subject cluster combination saying it will boost enrolment in teaching colleges.

The leaders said the policy was the biggest hindrance to students wishing to join the teaching fraternity.

 During a tour of the working party in counties of Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa, the issue of doing away with the policy and lowering the grade entry grade featured prominently in the meeting, with leaders and various education stakeholders calling for a review of the policy.

 They further noted that the draconian policy directly affected the education sector, subsequently leading to poor performance.

 Led by Garissa governor Nathif Jama and Garissa KNUT executive Abdirizack Hussein, the leaders said that the new rule, which now only requires one to have a C plain will see many of the local students join teaching colleges.

 Nathif was speaking at the Garissa teachers training college, where he met with the college’s board of management to identify areas where his administration could assist the college.

 Garissa Teacher’s College has been facing a myriad of challenges among them lack of enough students that almost led to its closure, with the numbers shrinking to as low as 40.

 The governor said that contrary to claims that the mean grade was what was locking out many potential students wishing to join the college, the issue of subject cluster was the main problem.

 “We are happy together with the college administration because after a long wait over the years, today we are able to celebrate that many of our boys and girls have now applied to be trained as teachers,” Nathif said.

 The governor said that he was impressed by the high numbers who have applied to join the college, disclosing that a total of 700 students had applied compared to less than 100 who had applied in the previous year.

“I want to sincerely thank President Dr. William Ruto for appointing the task force and subsequently moving with speed to approve the recommendations accordingly,” he added.

 He also extended the same gratitude to the college board of management for working round the clock to enroll as many students as possible saying that the real work now begins, while promising to help the college in terms of infrastructure, bursaries, and scholarships to students.

 Nathif challenged his fellow elected leaders and other development partners to also chip in and get the college back on track saying that there was still a lot that needed to be done.

He disclosed that his administration had undertaken to construct a new 125-bed capacity dormitory saying that the works would start as soon as the procurement procedures were complete.

 On his part, the Garissa Teachers College Board of Management official Abdi Billow while describing the development as a new beginning for the college said they will work closely with all leaders and other stakeholders to get the college back on track, saying that having more local students join the institution will go a long way in having a homegrown solution to the prevailing teacher crisis in the region.

 “I want to thank the experts who came up with modalities of trying to give us hope. Most importantly I want to thank the governor for the leadership he has shown and the commitment he has given to us. We want to see more leaders support this very important sector,” Billow said.

 On his part, KNUT secretary Abdirzach Hussein said he was optimistic the issue of teacher shortage will be a thing of the past in the coming days.

 Abdirizak said that the majority of schools especially in the far-flung areas were being run by one teacher something that he said continues to compromise the education standards.

Courtesy; KNA