In rejecting the proposals, the TSC also poked holes on the reasons cited by the Authority to lower entry grades, saying there are already some 290,000 trained teachers who are yet to be employed. “This huge number of unemployed teachers cannot be an indication of lack of interest in the profession. It clearly demonstrates that the country has surplus trained teachers,” said Ms Macharia. In her letter, Macharia said lowering of entry grades for teachers training is mainly advisable where there is a sustained lack of interest in the profession like in Zimbabwe.
“This is not the situation in Kenya,” she said. Parents yesterday expressed shock at the proposal and questioned the quality of teaching and the excellence of students who will be taught by the new crop of teachers. “Our fear is that if the teacher scored a D how will their students score higher grades? Will they be able to motivate learners to aim higher?” said Nicholas Maiyo, the National Parents Association chairman. “We actually hoped that it should be higher so that we attract the best brains to teach our children.”
The Government decision to lower P1 Certificate entry is a well thought out idea that a commoner can oppose but an Educationist like myself will surpot it, by % of %.
Those who oppose should tell us, if Universities admit Diploma With C- who will go for P1 with C+ or C- ?. We need teachers at P1 level at all times and this are the backborn of elementary education in the world. May Diploma and Graduate are on toes looking for greener pastures.
Years when education output was very good the Teachers were Standard 8, but the brains they produced were so perwerful than the current graduates who can not place prepositions in a sentense construction today.
Wanga John Wycliffe
Former Teacher
Tutor,
Principal
Thanks.