President Kenyatta orders review of teacher transfers to protect families

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday ordered the Ministry of Education to review the ongoing teacher delocalisation program so that families are not affected negatively by the movement of teachers.

The President directed Education Cabinet Secretary Amb. Amina Mohamed to review the implementation of the program with a view of ensuring that families of the affected teachers do not suffer undue disruptions.

The delocalisation program entails moving teachers, mostly head teachers and principals, from their home areas with the objective of improving their effectiveness.

The Head of State issued the directive when he officially opened the Catholic Schools Principals Conference at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi.

“The ongoing delocalisation program has created some unforeseen challenges that have, in some instances, affected families negatively. We are reviewing the policy guidelines to ensure that the program is not implemented to the detriment of families,” said President Kenyatta.

The President also announced that he has issued a directive for the issuance of title deeds to all education institutions built and managed by faith based organisations including the Catholic Church.

The Head of State said his directive on issuance of title deeds to schools managed by faith based institutions follows challenges identified during the ongoing process of issuing title deeds to public schools.

“I have prioritised the titling of primary and secondary schools built by the Church and other faith based institutions,” said the President.

Issuance of title deeds to schools is meant to protect land owned by schools from land grabbers and encroachers.

President Kenyatta further said that his Administration has made strides in achieving the four intervention areas identified in 2013 specific to the education sector in the country.

The four intervention areas include upgrading of learning infrastructure through construction and renovation of buildings, connection to electricity supply, and the provision of appropriate school supplies and equipment.

The intervention areas also covers securing examinations from malpractices and fraud, revitalisation of  teaching and learning models, and provision of a conducive environment for teaching and learning for teachers and students respectively.

“I am happy to report that my Administration, with the support of Kenyans and institutions such as the Church, has made remarkable strides on all the four fronts,” said President Kenyatta.

The Commander-in-Chief underscored the crucial role education plays in ensuring Kenya achieves the Government’s Big 4 development agenda.

“Without requisite education, our Big Four agenda will remain but a dream. It is against this understanding that my Administration has committed itself to ensuring that every Kenyan Child receives high quality and holistic education, ” he said.

At the same time, the Head of State called for constructive and continued engagement between teachers and parents for the proper development of children and for the stability of schools.

Speaking at the event, Education CS Amina Mohamed said the Catholic Church continues to play a big role in Kenya’s education sector and assured the country that the Government will continue stepping up measures to improve the integrity of national examinations by among other measures enhancing surveillance and supervision.

On his part, Rev. Paul Kariuki Njiru, the Chairman of the Commission for Education and Religious Education in the Catholic Church thanked the Government for the ongoing reforms in the education sector and  assured the President that Churches will continue to partner with the Government in the provision of quality education in the country.