We were robbed of our 37 JSS teacher slots, Kisauni MP protests

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Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba has protested the loss of 37 Junior Secondary School teacher slots for Kisauni constituency because of the current national identity card system.

This, according to Bedzimba, cost Kisuani 37 slots out of the slots that the constituency had been allocated.

“In Kisauni, we were allocated 40 slots. They advertised and people applied. But sadly, only three people were selected. The others did not qualify, they said.

“When I asked why did not qualify because I know teachers who are from Kisauni and are qualified. I was told their ID cards indicate they are not from Kisauni just because at the back of their ID cards, it is written the places of birth of their parents,” Bedzimba said.

He spoke in Shanzu during the official commissioning of the Shanzu Senior School, built by the Kisauni NG-CDF.

Bedzimba noted that there are many people from many communities not originally from Mombasa who are born and brought up in Mombasa, but they should not be victimised on opportunities because their parents are not from Mombasa.

“Look at what the national ID card says at the front and not what it says at the back. This is discriminating others unfairly,” the MP said.

Bedzimba noted that parents from other places across the country came to Mombasa to work but found their wives in Mombasa and bore children in Mombasa.

This, he said, does not mean the children are from wherever their parents came from.

“Please, CS, intervene on this thing. Let our 37 slots be returned to the Kisauni people. If we go that route, many of our people will miss employment opportunities and we will go to places we do not want to go back to,” the MP said.

Bedzimba also said school heads should help parents understand the Competency Based Education (CBE), especially when it comes to transition to Grade 10.

The MP said the CBE is confusing parents who do not know what to do anymore.

“Direct the school heads to call parents and explain to them how CBE works. The parents should not despair when their children are called to schools they do not desire. They should be advised learners can revise their school choices,” he said.

He said: “If your child has been called to a school you do not desire, do not download the form. If you download it, you have accepted it. But this must be told to the parents.”

He asked the Education CS Julius Ogamba to find the best pathway for the newly launched Shanzu Senior School, which he said lacks a playing field for students.

“There is a neighbouring Teachers Training College here that has a lot of land. We ask that we get some two acres form the neighbours so we can have a football field and ground for other sports,” Bedzimba said.

The MP said soon, they will launch the Kadzonzo Primary School that is coming up and another one will be built at Mabanda ya Ng’ombe, where learners sit on the floor in schools in the neighbourhood.

“We want all our children to learn in conducive environments where they can have maximum concentration while teachers teach.

“We want to invest in education because it is the key to success. That uis why in the next two weeks, we will laying the foundation for the Kiembeni primary school,” Bedzimba said.

Ogamba lauded Bedzimba for his work in education in Kisauni, suggesting he would bring other MPs to benchmark in Kisauni.

He told Bedzimba to find time in early January and visit him in his office in Nairobi so they could together go to the Teachers Service Commission offices to have the matter rectified.

“Your slots must be returned to you,” he said.

He said the government is also working to ensure there is at least one Technical Vocational Education and Training centre in each constituency in Kenya.

“So, in Kisauni, there is a TVET in the pipeline and when we go back to Nairobi we will look for money and you identify a place so we can build that TVET,” the CS said.

He assured that the Shanzu Senior School will have teachers in January so it starts operation officially.

On the Shanzu TTC land, he asked Bedzimba to write a formal request so that the process can be started to have the TTC donate some acres to the Shanzu Senior School for its sporting activities.

He said the government’s commitment to quality education is not only because it is in the constitution but because education is the most valuable resource.

“It is only through quality education that we will be able to build the human capital that we require to achieve our national development,” Ogamba said.

He said with proper education, Kenyans will be adequately equipped with knowledge and skills to meet the demands of the 21^st century.

The Shanzu Senior School has a big catchment area despite being in Shanzu ward, and will attract learners across the country that will help inculcate the values of diversity and cohesion from an early age.

He said the placement of learners in ongoing.

He told parents they have an opportunity to revise the schools their children applied for.

“This is a new curriculum and there are teething problems including confusion challenges here and there. But our teams are in schools helping with the revision,” Ogamba said.

The CS said there are enough slots for all learners in different schools across the country.

He said one of the challenges to access to quality education has been inadequate infrastructure and the long distances to various schools, which is due to limited resources, and the ministry is constrained.

Using resources from the NG-CDF to build schools is thus a remarkable leadership effort that must be commended, Ogamba said.

“This school will go a long way in promoting access and retention in education and transform the lives of many families and children,” the CS noted.

He said the ministry will work to expedite the necessary processes to ensure the school is ready to admit learners and receive capitation at the beginning of next term. “We will work with the TSC as well to ensure that a principal and other teachers are posted here to support these learners,” CS Ogamba said.

He called on parents to ensure their children also attend school.