Busia ill prepared to roll out CBE, says Kuppet

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers officials/HANDOUT

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers in Busia has said the county is not ready to roll out the Competence-Based Education next year.

Branch executive secretary, Moffats Okisai, said no school in the county can roll out CBE as they all lack the requisite infrastructure. 

"As the County Government of Busia and all stakeholders, we are ill-prepared to roll out the CBE. No single school is offering mechanics. Not a single school is offering power mechanics, electricity, building and construction among others. What will happen is that we shall export our resources to other counties that are prepared," he said.

“Our top schools don't meet the threshold owing to a shortage of teachers," he added. 

The government recently elevated Nambale Boys and Lwanya Girls to national schools' status. Salvation Army Kolanya Girls and Butula Boys are also national schools.

Speaking in Amagoro on Tuesday, Okisai said the recent salary increment for teachers was met with frustration and disappointment. 

The least paid teacher received Sh36, while the highest paid got Sh728. 

"Now landlords want to increase rent for teachers who live in these houses because they heard of the increment that did not benefit the tutors. I’m urging landlords to be humane and stop such ill schemes," Okisai said.

Alex Omoit, the Knut chairman, Teso branch, weighed in with an appeal to local leaders to join hands and build primary schools.

This will address the issue of dilapidated infrastructure. 

"Many classrooms are divided using plywood with some learners facing East and the others West, thus the need for concerted efforts to alleviate the problem," he said. 

He added that these schools lack laboratories for practicals. 

Omoit said this year there will be three national examinations—KPSEA, KJSEA and KCSE—and parents and teachers need to work extra hard and avail learners what they require to avoid disruption of their studies. 

"We receive frequent reports of children getting lost for over four days under mysterious circumstances. Instead of reporting to the local administration near them, parents report to the school administration to help trace the whereabouts of their lost children," he said.

Omoit also warned that teachers found with students would face the full force of the law.