The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has implored the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to do some adjustments in the recruitment of teachers.
KNUT has urged the Commission to lower the requirement for the hiring of teachers from C+ (Plus) to C (plain).
According to the teachers’ union, most teachers who have completed their training in Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) have the requisite skills and knowledge to teach in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).
At the moment, the Commission hires teachers who have attained grade C+ in secondary schools.
In the past, TSC has been criticized for installing strict hiring criteria that have led to many qualified teachers being left out of employment opportunities.
The union wants a more inclusive approach that will give more employment opportunities for teachers, especially those who have the potential to succeed in the profession.
The government has been working on the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) which is intended to provide a more comprehensive education system that focuses on the development of student’s practical skills and knowledge.
It is also expected that the new curriculum will help students to become more competent and prepared to join the job market.
As TSC continue evaluating the CBC, KNUT is hoping that their request could also be considered even for teachers of secondary schools.
The Union believes that this will provide more employment opportunities for teachers and also help to improve the quality of education across the country.
In another story, 282 Pharmacist Interns are set to be posted to Public Hospitals.
Through the Ministry of Health, the Government is set to post the first cohort of more than 800 medical interns to public hospitals across the country.
According to a circular signed by Albert Mokua on behalf of the Principal Secretary dated the 11th of January 2023, 282 pharmacist interns will benefit from the move.
In the circular, the Ministry directed all County Directors of Health Services and Medical Superintendents to inform the receiving stations and report back to the Ministry on the reporting status.
This was after another directive issued by the Cabinet Secretary for Health Susan Nakhumicha two weeks ago following consultation with the leadership of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the Council of Governors (COG).
According to the Health CS, 874 medical interns will be posted in the ongoing exercise.
She added that the government is committed to amicably resolving issues raised by the KMPDU and called on them to embrace dialogue.
In 2022 the KMPDU told their members to down their tools as of January 6, 2023, after it blamed the government for failing to honour its part of the bargain.