Friday, January 14, 2011

education in kenya

with the current comments made by our learned members of parliament in Kenya and most recently by the minister of education there is need for divine intervention.with the introduction of the free primary education eight years ago parents and other stake holders thought it a relief int the provision of the much needed primary education however with time this has come to be a complete contrast.the number of students that have been enrolled into this system of basic education has more than tripled while the necessary support infrastructure has remained stagnant.the result an overstretched teaching staff and students who are barely shifting through school.some ridiculous bill is yet to be placed in parliament in order to abolish the national examination system that allows students to go on to secondary education.if this is done how are we to grade and quantify these students whose numbers continue to increase with time?will there be another examination system that will replace KCPE as was the case in 1984?or will have students aimlessly proceeding from one class to the next without any grading system whatsoever.it is time that Kenyans let professionals handle matters pertaining to ministerial posts and positions.it is embittering to see politicians fight against KCPE when many of their children have either studied abroad or gone through the British curriculum.if the bill is to be passed then children of the common mwananchi will be left to suffer.the move by the minister to reduce the number of private students going to national high schools is absurd.for one most these children come from humble backgrounds and were able to study only because education was free.unless good economic support structures are established these children might end up being kicked from the school due to unpaid fee arrears.locking out students from private schools who have succeeded is punishing the wrong culprit these children are guilty of only working hard and passing their exams so why punish them by not allowing them into their high schools of choice?the ministry should rather focus on reducing the disparity between public and private schools and improving the quality of education.