My attention has been drawn to Kennedy Buhere`s article (The Standard Newspaper 31st May 2010, P16) titled “Teachers to blame for poor language grasp.” I find Buhere`s stance on teachers of the English language maddeningly unfunny. It is loathsome for an opinion leader of his stature to behave like the “Bully Pulpit Preacher”, who elects to use mere rhetoric to shine a spotlight on an issue of national interest.
Buhere alleges that “lay” teachers of the English language have given up the fight against the ascendancy of Sheng among students. His is a misnomer. The truth is that teachers have put in place the language policy that seeks to encourage the use of the English language as the official language of communication not only within but outside school as well.
Apparently, his is a case of misconstruing the teachers` hue and cry over the ascendancy of Sheng among the youth to mean that teachers have given up the fight against minimizing the effects of Sheng in formal education.
All that teachers are simply looking forward to is a broad, proactive societal role to protect the interests of the youths in this nation. Parents must for instance take a more proactive strategy in guiding and counseling the youths. It goes without saying that society has given the youth so much latitude. Consequently the youths have become heavy consumers of popular culture, values that come from advertising, the entertainment industry, the media, and icons of style. These values are distinguished from those espoused by more traditional, political, educational or religious institutions. The effect of all these is manifested in their medium of communication which, as Buhere opines, is uniquely different from the mainstream society.
Things are made even worse by the fact that parents and guardians, flawed by their lack of understanding of their role, elect to make Sheng their occupation whenever they indulge in tête-à-tête with their children. This is a clear pointer to the fact that the parents` philosophy is not aligned with the schools` philosophy. In such instances, teachers are discouraged from actively disabusing the minds of the youths from their error of idolizing Sheng.
From the foregoing, Sheng is a social problem whose panacea does not lie in the hands of teachers alone. It is the society more than teachers that reserves most of the responsibility for the English language debacle. It is therefore incumbent upon Buhere to desist from his great game of straws and understand once and for all that teachers have no magic wand to wave.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
POSITIVE DISCRIMNATION SEEKS TO FOSTER EQUITY IN A CHRISTIAN DOMINATED SOCIETY.
Thomas Hood (1799-1845) once said that “He lies like a hedgehog rolled up the wrong way, tormenting himself with his prickles.” Nothing could prove the import of Hood`s words than the on going debate on the draft constitution. You do not need to be schooled in matters law to realize that a section of the political and religious leaders have in an unceasing effort resorted to surreptitious interference of the constitution making process by desperately using very high profile propaganda to instill fear among Christians. Moral principles have lost their distinctiveness and absolute right and wrong are a matter of what the biased clergy and the filthy wealthy individuals say.
You have heard them opine that the draft constitution is fundamentally flawed on the count of the inclusion of the Kadhis courts. Yet, even with their “extraordinary vision” these leaders have failed to see how the majority Christian religion will sufficiently be served with the draft constitution. Moreover, suffice to say that a larger proportion of the laws in our penal code as well as the appointments in the judiciary are, today, tilted in favour of Christians.
By not acceding to the equal potential of all religions the Christian clergy (and the politicians hiding in their cloaks) will be justifying their intolerance and dominance. Simply put; they will be projecting an attitude that sanctions and encourages prejudice against other religions. It is thus imprudent of them to be obsessed with an invidious discrimination that is in itself an engine of oppression and subjugation of other religions as a means of maintaining or enhancing their power as Christians.
In realization of the disadvantages that other religions (and especially Islam) are faced with in our society the draft constitution has put in place article 27 (6). This clause talks about the state legislating other measures, including affirmative action programmes and policies designed to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination. I see absolutely nothing wrong with such a provision being anchored in the constitution. There are other provisions dealing with positive discrimination which are anchored in the draft constitution. For instance, women are such beneficiaries. The inclusion of affirmative action for women in the draft constitution has not ruffled anybody`s feathers. Similarly, Kadhis` courts have their existence in the draft constitution vide this positive discrimination.
Like John Locke, we must forever allow “reason to be our last judge and guide in everything. Where reason does not guide our formation, our opinions are but the effects of chance and hazard, of a mind floating at all adventures, without choice, and without direction.” And this is dangerous trend because Christians will definitely in the long run inflict a lot of damage to themselves. For instance, if other religious faiths demanded for the expunging of all Christian family laws from our penal code as well as all forms of discriminatory Christian religious practices in all our public institutions and especially in our judiciary, I have no doubt whatsoever that Christians will become the biggest losers here.
It is for this reason that I believe that as Christians we can comfortably leave the Kadhi courts in the draft constitution without compromising our faith in any way.
Kadhi courts are only a remedial religious-based preference whose existence in the constitution seeks to foster religious equity in our largely Christian dominated society.
I beseech our Christian clergy to desist from religious disputes and especially those which are conducted in the eye of the public. Experience teaches us that such disputes are useless; they lead more to hatred than to enlightenment. We must never be seen to celebrate a court ruling that is likely to dismember the pillars that hold this nation together.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
You have heard them opine that the draft constitution is fundamentally flawed on the count of the inclusion of the Kadhis courts. Yet, even with their “extraordinary vision” these leaders have failed to see how the majority Christian religion will sufficiently be served with the draft constitution. Moreover, suffice to say that a larger proportion of the laws in our penal code as well as the appointments in the judiciary are, today, tilted in favour of Christians.
By not acceding to the equal potential of all religions the Christian clergy (and the politicians hiding in their cloaks) will be justifying their intolerance and dominance. Simply put; they will be projecting an attitude that sanctions and encourages prejudice against other religions. It is thus imprudent of them to be obsessed with an invidious discrimination that is in itself an engine of oppression and subjugation of other religions as a means of maintaining or enhancing their power as Christians.
In realization of the disadvantages that other religions (and especially Islam) are faced with in our society the draft constitution has put in place article 27 (6). This clause talks about the state legislating other measures, including affirmative action programmes and policies designed to redress any disadvantage suffered by individuals or groups because of past discrimination. I see absolutely nothing wrong with such a provision being anchored in the constitution. There are other provisions dealing with positive discrimination which are anchored in the draft constitution. For instance, women are such beneficiaries. The inclusion of affirmative action for women in the draft constitution has not ruffled anybody`s feathers. Similarly, Kadhis` courts have their existence in the draft constitution vide this positive discrimination.
Like John Locke, we must forever allow “reason to be our last judge and guide in everything. Where reason does not guide our formation, our opinions are but the effects of chance and hazard, of a mind floating at all adventures, without choice, and without direction.” And this is dangerous trend because Christians will definitely in the long run inflict a lot of damage to themselves. For instance, if other religious faiths demanded for the expunging of all Christian family laws from our penal code as well as all forms of discriminatory Christian religious practices in all our public institutions and especially in our judiciary, I have no doubt whatsoever that Christians will become the biggest losers here.
It is for this reason that I believe that as Christians we can comfortably leave the Kadhi courts in the draft constitution without compromising our faith in any way.
Kadhi courts are only a remedial religious-based preference whose existence in the constitution seeks to foster religious equity in our largely Christian dominated society.
I beseech our Christian clergy to desist from religious disputes and especially those which are conducted in the eye of the public. Experience teaches us that such disputes are useless; they lead more to hatred than to enlightenment. We must never be seen to celebrate a court ruling that is likely to dismember the pillars that hold this nation together.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Friday, May 28, 2010
THE CLERGY IS OBSESSED WITH INVIDIOUS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST OTHER RELIGIONS.
Over the last few weeks Kenyans have experienced a surreptitious interference of the constitution making process by a section of the political and religious leaders who have in an unceasing effort resorted to using very high profile propaganda to instill fear among Christians. They have opined that the draft constitution is fundamentally flawed on the count of the inclusion of the Kadhis courts.
Yet, even with their “extraordinary vision” these leaders have failed to see how the majority Christian religion and other minority religions are served with the current constitution. Suffice to say that a larger proportion of the laws in our current constitution are Christian friendly. The same can be said of our penal code as well as in the appointments in the judiciary. All these things are tilted in favour of Christians.
By not acceding to the equal potential of all religions Christians will be justifying their intolerance and dominance. Simply put; they will be projecting an attitude that sanctions and encourages prejudice against other religions. It is thus imprudent of them to be obsessed with an invidious discrimination that is in itself an engine of oppression and subjugation of other religions as a means of maintaining or enhancing their power as Christians. Positive discrimination is thus a matter of both empirical belief and moral faith.
It is instrumental to note that other religious faiths have not complained about Sunday, Easter holiday nor the Christmas holiday. They have not even complained about the judicial system whose laws gel with the Christian family laws. Neither have they complained about the standard practice involving the singing of Christian hymns, reading of the bible verses nor the saying of Christian prayers in public schools across the country. Besides, we must not forget the fact that Christian Religious Education is taught in public schools courtesy of the tax payers (including those who profess different religious faiths).
If other religious faiths demanded for the removal of all the faith based provisions in the current constitution as well as the draft constitution and the expunging of Christian family laws from our penal code, Christians will be treated to a rude awakening. If other religious institutions demanded an end to all discriminatory religious practices in all our public institutions and especially in our judiciary, I have no doubt whatsoever that Christians will become the biggest losers here.
It is for this reason that I believe that as Christians we can comfortably leave the Kadhi courts in the draft constitution without compromising our faith in any way. Kadhi courts are only a remedial religious-based preference whose existence in the constitution seeks to foster religious equity in our largely Christian dominated society.
From the foregoing, I hold it that last week`s ruling by the constitutional court was mischievous and was out to dismember the pillars that hold this nation together.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Yet, even with their “extraordinary vision” these leaders have failed to see how the majority Christian religion and other minority religions are served with the current constitution. Suffice to say that a larger proportion of the laws in our current constitution are Christian friendly. The same can be said of our penal code as well as in the appointments in the judiciary. All these things are tilted in favour of Christians.
By not acceding to the equal potential of all religions Christians will be justifying their intolerance and dominance. Simply put; they will be projecting an attitude that sanctions and encourages prejudice against other religions. It is thus imprudent of them to be obsessed with an invidious discrimination that is in itself an engine of oppression and subjugation of other religions as a means of maintaining or enhancing their power as Christians. Positive discrimination is thus a matter of both empirical belief and moral faith.
It is instrumental to note that other religious faiths have not complained about Sunday, Easter holiday nor the Christmas holiday. They have not even complained about the judicial system whose laws gel with the Christian family laws. Neither have they complained about the standard practice involving the singing of Christian hymns, reading of the bible verses nor the saying of Christian prayers in public schools across the country. Besides, we must not forget the fact that Christian Religious Education is taught in public schools courtesy of the tax payers (including those who profess different religious faiths).
If other religious faiths demanded for the removal of all the faith based provisions in the current constitution as well as the draft constitution and the expunging of Christian family laws from our penal code, Christians will be treated to a rude awakening. If other religious institutions demanded an end to all discriminatory religious practices in all our public institutions and especially in our judiciary, I have no doubt whatsoever that Christians will become the biggest losers here.
It is for this reason that I believe that as Christians we can comfortably leave the Kadhi courts in the draft constitution without compromising our faith in any way. Kadhi courts are only a remedial religious-based preference whose existence in the constitution seeks to foster religious equity in our largely Christian dominated society.
From the foregoing, I hold it that last week`s ruling by the constitutional court was mischievous and was out to dismember the pillars that hold this nation together.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
ONGERI`S SLIPSHOD LANGUAGE ON TEACHERS IS UNCALLED FOR.
Recently, the Minister for Basic Education opined that teachers are a languorous lot who are only too quick at demanding for pay rise than in redirecting their energies in improving performance in schools. He then went ahead to demand that they must post eighty percent improvement in performance to reciprocate the government`s gesture in implementing the Collective Bargain Agreement.
It is for this reason that I am impelled to discount the totalitarian tendencies and rising mediocrities perpetuated by the minister against the teaching fraternity. His penchant for extended digressions and slipshod language on issues affecting the teaching fraternity is uncalled for. In fact, he risks being seen as superfluous.
Suffice to say that nobody disputes the fact that good performance in national examinations is one of the principle outcomes of schooling. However, relying on students’ performance in national examinations as a measure of teachers’ performance (or lack of it) gives a very false impression on teachers` performance. This is because examination performance is depended on so many factors some of which are beyond the control of teachers. It is therefore critical that the minister looks at the schooling programme as a whole and not lambast teachers based on selective reading of the often inaccurate periodic monitoring and evaluation reports prepared by his ministry officials.
To begin with the ministry of basic education has continually held irrational thoughts that schools across the country are inherently at the same level of infrastructural development and that students have the same entry behavior hence examination results across the country must always be very much alike. The entry behavior aside, we are also too aware of the fact that there are many students with superior abilities but who pursue their studies in ill equipped schools and who do not achieve the measure that their abilities warrant because of poor infrastructure in such schools.
Moreover, I am sure that the minister is cognizant of the fact that what ails performance in the education sector is its poor planning (or lack of it), meager resources and corruption. It goes without saying that the schooling programme is reeling under heavy corruption, a problem which the minister is only too aware of.
It is therefore important that the minister understands that he is absolutely wrong in entirely relating poor performance to teaching or school leadership. Though performance in examinations is an important aspect of all educational systems, it cannot on its own be a reliable indicator in gauging teachers’ performance.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
It is for this reason that I am impelled to discount the totalitarian tendencies and rising mediocrities perpetuated by the minister against the teaching fraternity. His penchant for extended digressions and slipshod language on issues affecting the teaching fraternity is uncalled for. In fact, he risks being seen as superfluous.
Suffice to say that nobody disputes the fact that good performance in national examinations is one of the principle outcomes of schooling. However, relying on students’ performance in national examinations as a measure of teachers’ performance (or lack of it) gives a very false impression on teachers` performance. This is because examination performance is depended on so many factors some of which are beyond the control of teachers. It is therefore critical that the minister looks at the schooling programme as a whole and not lambast teachers based on selective reading of the often inaccurate periodic monitoring and evaluation reports prepared by his ministry officials.
To begin with the ministry of basic education has continually held irrational thoughts that schools across the country are inherently at the same level of infrastructural development and that students have the same entry behavior hence examination results across the country must always be very much alike. The entry behavior aside, we are also too aware of the fact that there are many students with superior abilities but who pursue their studies in ill equipped schools and who do not achieve the measure that their abilities warrant because of poor infrastructure in such schools.
Moreover, I am sure that the minister is cognizant of the fact that what ails performance in the education sector is its poor planning (or lack of it), meager resources and corruption. It goes without saying that the schooling programme is reeling under heavy corruption, a problem which the minister is only too aware of.
It is therefore important that the minister understands that he is absolutely wrong in entirely relating poor performance to teaching or school leadership. Though performance in examinations is an important aspect of all educational systems, it cannot on its own be a reliable indicator in gauging teachers’ performance.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Thursday, May 27, 2010
PROF. ONGERI`S SLIPSHOD LANGUAGE ON TEACHERS IS UNCALLED FOR.
Recently, the Minister for Basic Education opined that teachers are a languorous lot who are only too quick at demanding for pay rise than in redirecting their energies in improving performance in schools. He then went ahead to demand that they must post eighty percent improvement in performance to reciprocate the government`s gesture in implementing the Collective Bargain Agreement.
It is for this reason that I am impelled to discount the totalitarian tendencies and rising mediocrities perpetuated by the minister against the teaching fraternity. His penchant for extended digressions and slipshod language on issues affecting the teaching fraternity is uncalled for. In fact, he risks being seen as superfluous.
Suffice to say that nobody disputes the fact that good performance in national examinations is one of the principle outcomes of schooling. However, relying on students’ performance in national examinations as a measure of teachers’ performance (or lack of it) gives a very false impression on teachers` performance. This is because examination performance is depended on so many factors some of which are beyond the control of teachers. It is therefore critical that the minister looks at the schooling programme as a whole and not lambast teachers based on selective reading of the often inaccurate periodic monitoring and evaluation reports prepared by his ministry officials.
To begin with the ministry of basic education has continually held irrational thoughts that schools across the country are inherently at the same level of infrastructural development and that students have the same entry behavior hence examination results across the country must always be very much alike. The entry behavior aside, we are also too aware of the fact that there are many students with superior abilities but who pursue their studies in ill equipped schools and who do not achieve the measure that their abilities warrant because of poor infrastructure in such schools.
Moreover, I am sure that the minister is cognizant of the fact that what ails performance in the education sector is its poor planning (or lack of it), meager resources and corruption. It goes without saying that the schooling programme is reeling under heavy corruption, a problem which the minister is only too aware of.
It is therefore important that the minister understands that he is absolutely wrong in entirely relating poor performance to teaching or school leadership. Though performance in examinations is an important aspect of all educational systems, it cannot on its own be a reliable indicator in gauging teachers’ performance.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
It is for this reason that I am impelled to discount the totalitarian tendencies and rising mediocrities perpetuated by the minister against the teaching fraternity. His penchant for extended digressions and slipshod language on issues affecting the teaching fraternity is uncalled for. In fact, he risks being seen as superfluous.
Suffice to say that nobody disputes the fact that good performance in national examinations is one of the principle outcomes of schooling. However, relying on students’ performance in national examinations as a measure of teachers’ performance (or lack of it) gives a very false impression on teachers` performance. This is because examination performance is depended on so many factors some of which are beyond the control of teachers. It is therefore critical that the minister looks at the schooling programme as a whole and not lambast teachers based on selective reading of the often inaccurate periodic monitoring and evaluation reports prepared by his ministry officials.
To begin with the ministry of basic education has continually held irrational thoughts that schools across the country are inherently at the same level of infrastructural development and that students have the same entry behavior hence examination results across the country must always be very much alike. The entry behavior aside, we are also too aware of the fact that there are many students with superior abilities but who pursue their studies in ill equipped schools and who do not achieve the measure that their abilities warrant because of poor infrastructure in such schools.
Moreover, I am sure that the minister is cognizant of the fact that what ails performance in the education sector is its poor planning (or lack of it), meager resources and corruption. It goes without saying that the schooling programme is reeling under heavy corruption, a problem which the minister is only too aware of.
It is therefore important that the minister understands that he is absolutely wrong in entirely relating poor performance to teaching or school leadership. Though performance in examinations is an important aspect of all educational systems, it cannot on its own be a reliable indicator in gauging teachers’ performance.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Monday, May 24, 2010
THE THREE JUDGE BENCH HAVE MUCH IN COMMON WITH THE TROJAN PRINCE (PARIS).
Jean-Jacques-Rousseau (1712 - 1778) once said that “The general will is always straight, but the judgment that guides it is not always enlightened”. In trying to underscore the import of the above adage, one can draw some parallel from the “Judgment of Paris”, a Greek mythology whose impact on literature has been incalculably great. Its major characters, though shrouded in the distant past, exhibit personality flaws and strengths that are as real for people today as when the work first appeared.
The myth revolves around a Trojan prince (Paris), who was called on to judge which was the most attractive of the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Offered the bribes of power by Hera, success in battle by Athena, or the most beautiful woman in the world by Aphrodite, he chose the last. Aphrodite then helped him abduct Helen, so causing the Trojan War and earning the hatred of both Hera and Athena for the Trojans.
First, the moral story of this myth is that people (including judges like Paris) are corruptible. This is because the intellect is always at a high risk of being fooled by the heart. In such circumstances, many men and women of good standing find themselves succumbing to material temptations. Secondly, a judge whose moral standing is questionable may unwittingly make a ruling which commits the entire nation on pain of logical inconsistency so much so that hatred and animosity drives a wedge between neighbors.
In Kenya we have our own Trojan Prince in the name of the constitutional court whose ruling on the constitutionality of the Kadhis court has aroused considerable indignation and anger both in equal measures. Unfortunately though, this ruling is likely to engender religious intolerance which is a recipe for disaster in our fragile country that has barely healed form the 2008 Post Election Violence.
Like Hera and Athena our Muslim brothers and sisters are crying foul for what they consider a cold neutrality of the three judge bench. The Yes Team also reads mischief in the whole saga. They see this ruling as a ploy to derail the review process. In their estimation, this particular judgment is politically motivated and it is thus far removed from impartiality.
Some people have even opined that the court`s judgment is a pointer to the fear that has gripped the entire bench should the proposed draft constitution be promulgated. The fear is informed by the fact that there is a provision in the draft that requires a section of the judiciary to resign six months after the promulgation of the constitution for a thorough judicial purge.
There is a real danger that like Paris, the prince, the members of the bench may have eloped with the No Team. The ruling could just be one among the many in the “No Team`s bag of tricks”.
But even with the on going intrigues, the Yes Team should not despair. They must Like Abraham Lincoln, continually remind the electorate that “The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it has any evil in it; but whether it has more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost every thing, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded.”
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
The myth revolves around a Trojan prince (Paris), who was called on to judge which was the most attractive of the goddesses Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. Offered the bribes of power by Hera, success in battle by Athena, or the most beautiful woman in the world by Aphrodite, he chose the last. Aphrodite then helped him abduct Helen, so causing the Trojan War and earning the hatred of both Hera and Athena for the Trojans.
First, the moral story of this myth is that people (including judges like Paris) are corruptible. This is because the intellect is always at a high risk of being fooled by the heart. In such circumstances, many men and women of good standing find themselves succumbing to material temptations. Secondly, a judge whose moral standing is questionable may unwittingly make a ruling which commits the entire nation on pain of logical inconsistency so much so that hatred and animosity drives a wedge between neighbors.
In Kenya we have our own Trojan Prince in the name of the constitutional court whose ruling on the constitutionality of the Kadhis court has aroused considerable indignation and anger both in equal measures. Unfortunately though, this ruling is likely to engender religious intolerance which is a recipe for disaster in our fragile country that has barely healed form the 2008 Post Election Violence.
Like Hera and Athena our Muslim brothers and sisters are crying foul for what they consider a cold neutrality of the three judge bench. The Yes Team also reads mischief in the whole saga. They see this ruling as a ploy to derail the review process. In their estimation, this particular judgment is politically motivated and it is thus far removed from impartiality.
Some people have even opined that the court`s judgment is a pointer to the fear that has gripped the entire bench should the proposed draft constitution be promulgated. The fear is informed by the fact that there is a provision in the draft that requires a section of the judiciary to resign six months after the promulgation of the constitution for a thorough judicial purge.
There is a real danger that like Paris, the prince, the members of the bench may have eloped with the No Team. The ruling could just be one among the many in the “No Team`s bag of tricks”.
But even with the on going intrigues, the Yes Team should not despair. They must Like Abraham Lincoln, continually remind the electorate that “The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject any thing, is not whether it has any evil in it; but whether it has more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good. Almost every thing, especially of governmental policy, is an inseparable compound of the two; so that our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded.”
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
Sunday, May 23, 2010
TSC MUST RESCIND THIS UNFORTUNATE UNILATERAL EDUCATIONAL DISARMAMENT.
The teaching profession can only be added quality if teachers are given a sense of empowerment and responsibility. It is therefore everyone`s expectation that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has to encourage teachers to embrace further education and training. But this is not what is presently happening. Apparently many of the failures and problems in the teaching profession can be traced to inefficient and unresponsive systems of teacher management. To begin with, TSC does not value the enhancement of quality among teachers.
It is absurd for an employer who ought to demand quality above everything else be the one issuing an unorthodox decree that seeks to bar teachers from quality enhancement. This is clearly perpetuation of a pure misnomer. It is such attitude from TSC that has over time removed glamour from this once highly respected profession. Consequently the teaching profession suffers from image crisis. Fewer and fewer people want to be associated with the teaching profession in primary and secondary schools.
A visit to our public and private universities indicates that teaching as a career has hit an all time low. Very few students are taking teaching as a career. This trend portends disaster for our Nation. The educational foundations of our society are presently are undoubtedly being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrities perpetuated by the TSC. Among other things, TSC has unilaterally barred teachers from taking study leaves to pursue further studies on grounds of teacher shortages in schools. Through this unfortunate pronouncement TSC seeks to dismantle essential support systems which enable teachers bring quality back to class. TSC has, in effect, committed an act of unthinking, unilateral educational disarmament. Unfortunately if this mediocrity is allowed to go on our very future as a Nation and a people will be threatened.
Yet TSC`s stance of being a permanent stumbling block to teachers professional growth does not come as a surprise at all given its penchant for disregarding quality in the teaching profession. Instead, its number one concern has been to heavily reward employees of the TSC at the expense of teachers. For instance, a clerical officer employed by TSC will earn Kshs 30, 000 while a primary school teacher with more years of education will earn a paltry Kshs 13,000. The disparity in terms of salaries between TSC employees and teachers keeps on increasing across the different job groups.
It appears as though TSC has advised the government to ensure that teachers' salaries do not keep pace with either inflation or the salaries of most other professionals, as a way of retaining teachers in the teaching profession. Not only are starting salaries low but they fail to grow fast enough to be competitive. Consequently, teachers are demoralized not only by low salaries but also by loss of status, bureaucratic pressures, a negative public image and a lack of recognition and rewards.
As a way of getting themselves out of this prison of some sorts, many teachers want to pursue further education as a means to enhancing their pay package. Unfortunately, a masters degree holder is given a paltry two increments which is hardly the teacher`s worth. Those who wish to go beyond the masters level will be hit by the realization that currently TSC has not thought of retaining teachers who have attained the doctorate degree.
These highly educated and experienced teachers have to look for greener pastures elsewhere. Perhaps the decision by TSC to bar teachers from taking study leave is as a realization that the number of teachers quitting TSC for greener pastures is on a steady rise. TSC has in the meantime to contend with teacher shortages.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
It is absurd for an employer who ought to demand quality above everything else be the one issuing an unorthodox decree that seeks to bar teachers from quality enhancement. This is clearly perpetuation of a pure misnomer. It is such attitude from TSC that has over time removed glamour from this once highly respected profession. Consequently the teaching profession suffers from image crisis. Fewer and fewer people want to be associated with the teaching profession in primary and secondary schools.
A visit to our public and private universities indicates that teaching as a career has hit an all time low. Very few students are taking teaching as a career. This trend portends disaster for our Nation. The educational foundations of our society are presently are undoubtedly being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrities perpetuated by the TSC. Among other things, TSC has unilaterally barred teachers from taking study leaves to pursue further studies on grounds of teacher shortages in schools. Through this unfortunate pronouncement TSC seeks to dismantle essential support systems which enable teachers bring quality back to class. TSC has, in effect, committed an act of unthinking, unilateral educational disarmament. Unfortunately if this mediocrity is allowed to go on our very future as a Nation and a people will be threatened.
Yet TSC`s stance of being a permanent stumbling block to teachers professional growth does not come as a surprise at all given its penchant for disregarding quality in the teaching profession. Instead, its number one concern has been to heavily reward employees of the TSC at the expense of teachers. For instance, a clerical officer employed by TSC will earn Kshs 30, 000 while a primary school teacher with more years of education will earn a paltry Kshs 13,000. The disparity in terms of salaries between TSC employees and teachers keeps on increasing across the different job groups.
It appears as though TSC has advised the government to ensure that teachers' salaries do not keep pace with either inflation or the salaries of most other professionals, as a way of retaining teachers in the teaching profession. Not only are starting salaries low but they fail to grow fast enough to be competitive. Consequently, teachers are demoralized not only by low salaries but also by loss of status, bureaucratic pressures, a negative public image and a lack of recognition and rewards.
As a way of getting themselves out of this prison of some sorts, many teachers want to pursue further education as a means to enhancing their pay package. Unfortunately, a masters degree holder is given a paltry two increments which is hardly the teacher`s worth. Those who wish to go beyond the masters level will be hit by the realization that currently TSC has not thought of retaining teachers who have attained the doctorate degree.
These highly educated and experienced teachers have to look for greener pastures elsewhere. Perhaps the decision by TSC to bar teachers from taking study leave is as a realization that the number of teachers quitting TSC for greener pastures is on a steady rise. TSC has in the meantime to contend with teacher shortages.
TOME FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis
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