Nyali teachers decry science teacher shortage

Nyali sub-county public primary and secondary school heads with MP Mohammed Ali at his Nyali residence on Thursday / BRIAN OTIENO

Public primary and secondary school principals from Nyali in Mombasa county have welcomed addition of two more schools, saying this will ease congestion.

However, they are concerned that construction of Mwembeni primary and secondary schools will worsen the teacher shortage.

The country has a shortage of more than 98,000 teachers.

The Nyali public school heads urged Nyali MP Mohammed Ali engage the national government to find an amicable solution to the shortage.

They say if not solved quickly, the situation will affect quality of education.

“We do not have enough teachers, especially in sciences and the ratio could be as bad as one teacher to 400 learners,” said a teacher, who asked for anonymity.

They spoke when they visited Ali at his residence to wish him a speedy recovery and gifted him with two goats.

The teachers also urged the MP to help them get more facilities for science practicals.

Ali has been away from public engagements for close to nine months after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee. He had to undergo three surgeries.

The MP has been in and out of local and international hospitals.

“When the father is not around, you feel the impact,” Ali said.

He said his long injury lay-off has not rendered him completely immobile or ineffective.

“As much as I was in hospital, I was still coordinating and making sure development projects progressing well,” he said.

He said improving access to quality education and supporting Nyali children in shaping their future is one of his key agendas.

“There are a few other issues which the school heads raised and I promised to fix them,” Ali said.

The MP also criticised the government's move to cut school capitation money, saying the general quality of education will be affected.

Treasury CS John Mbadi on Thursday told the National Assembly’s Education Committee that they will only disburse Sh16,900 per secondary school learner, some Sh5,344 less than what had been communicated by the Education Ministry.

“Let us not lie to ourselves. The budget cannot support the Sh22,000 capitation. We don’t have the capacity to offer free primary and secondary education,” he said.

“That is a disaster in waiting... If you promise a budget that is not there, hakuna mahali unaenda."

The former journalist said more effort should be put in the education and health sectors, since they are the two most crucial sectors.

“Those two don’t need promises. Those two need action. If you go wrong in education, you go wrong in everything,” Ali said.