According to Lugari Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera, Kakamega County has the highest teacher shortage in the country.
Nabwera, who is also a member of the National Assembly Education Committee, regretted that the vast county tops the shortfall list with his own constituency being the most affected out of the 12 constituencies.
Speaking during a Board of Management meeting at Lumakanda Township Secondary School, said the county needs over 7, 000 teachers in order to attain its Curriculum Based Establishment at the moment.
He has attributed the dismal performance of secondary schools in the constituency to inadequate staffing- a challenge he said he would sort out soon.
“We are engaging the Teachers Service Commission and in the recent recruitment of teachers, Lugari received the highest number countrywide of 200 teachers although most of them went to juniors’ secondary schools,” he said.
He urged school principals to be patient as the commission sorts out the junior secondary school staffing needs.
“It is in a crisis. We must give them teachers first before we address the shortage in our secondary schools,” he said.
Further, he also called on school heads across the constituency to manage growth in their respective schools based on the available infrastructure.
“If you don’t manage growth you will burst. Don’t enrol 1000 students when your capacity is 800. Resources must be planned for. If you manage growth I will grow with you,” he advised principals.
He appealed to all stakeholders to actively play their part in ensuring students get desired results.
“Anybody who is in a school system be it as a teacher, a Board of Management member or a Parents Association member in any school within the constituency, in me you now have a partner. I will play my part although I am a very demanding partner. What I want is good results. I don’t want Es. In the entire county Lugari has been leading in producing Es I want that to change,” the legislator said.
