In the wake of the transport crisis in Nairobi last Monday after governor Mike Sonko banned matatus from the CBD, KTN news anchor Akisa Wandera caused a small storm on Twitter. She posted:
“Name one thing that actually works in this country. Just one! I’ll wait.”
As a Kenyan, it is impossible to escape a deep sense of frustration with the shoddy management of public affairs.
But there are journalists who do not see the contradictions, who are completely incapable of scepticism – at least going by their reports.
(Who knows? To be fair, these folks could be very irritated as private individuals but are somehow unable to translate that frustration into excellent journalism. Yet no one becomes an excellent journalist unless they are driven by a burning desire for better management of public affairs.)
On Wednesday, December 5, the Star carried an article titled, “State to use Sh16bn on Form One intake” (p.10). The government has set aside Sh16 billion to implement the 100 per cent transition to secondary school promised by Uhuru Kenyatta, the report said, citing comments by Education CS Amina Mohamed.
The bulk of the funds, according to the story, will be used to expand infrastructure to accommodate all the 2018 KCPE candidates expected to join Form One in January.
The People Daily had a better story on the same day. “Teachers shortage threatens learning,” was the top news item. Secondary schools currently have a shortage of teachers of between 60,000 (says TSC) and 110,000 (Kuppet figures).
How is learning going to start in a few weeks’ time when over a million children report to Form One? Where will the teachers come from?
The People gave a detailed report that showed the 100 per cent transition is essentially a populist roadside declaration that has not been thought through.
In the past year, the government has improved facilities in only 864 schools – expanding classrooms, dining halls and boarding facilities. That is a tiny fraction. There are 10,655 schools.
The ministry built 700 new classes. “According to the ministry guideliness, a standard classroom should accommodate 40 students. This means the new classrooms can hold only 28,000 new learners,” the paper reported.
Where will at least 700,000 new students sit?
An official of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association told the People on condition of anonymity that classes will have to carry between 60 and 70 students to accommodate 100 per cent transition from January.
Now, that is the complete story about this new experiment of 100 per cent tranistion.
Kudos People Daily for painting the full picture.
