Kenya Prepared for Achieving Ideal Teacher-Student Ratio
Education Cabinet Secretary, Julius Ogamba, announced on Wednesday that Kenya aims to achieve the international standard of a 1:25 teacher-to-pupil ratio within the next three years. According to Ogamba, the country is currently sitting at a ratio of 1:29 and is actively working to bridge this gap.
This ambitious goal is part of the government's plan to upgrade the education system, as depicted in the Kenya Kwanza administration's five-year pledge. To achieve this, Ogamba revealed that the government has already employed 76,000 teachers on permanent and pensionable terms, with an additional 25,000 interns expected to be recruited this year. The remaining targets to be met include hiring 24,000 new teachers by the end of 2025 and another 16,000 in 2026, totaling 116,000 teachers by 2027[3][4][5].
Ogamba sought to alleviate public concerns about the transition of Grade 9 learners to senior school next year, assuring that the government is fully prepared for the transition. The Ministry of Education has developed a system for Grade 9 candidates to select their preferred senior schools and career pathways based on various factors such as gender, nature of school, and location. Students are currently busy utilizing this system to make their senior school choices[1].
Furthermore, the Ministry has categorized schools according to their infrastructure and staffing, enabling them to offer pathways aligned with existing facilities[1]. In six months, the Ministry plans to welcome the pioneer class of the CBE into these schools. It's worth noting that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been retooling teachers to align with the CBE curriculum, with over 229,292 primary school teachers, 75,000 junior school teachers, and more than 7,000 school principals having undergone training[1].
These initiatives demonstrate Kenya's commitment to reducing class sizes, enhancing the quality of education, and ensuring a smooth transition for its students under the leadership of Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and the Teachers Service Commission[1][3][4][5].
Politics and education-and-self-development intertwine as Julius Ogamba, the Education Cabinet Secretary, announced a bold plan to lower the teacher-to-pupil ratio in Kenya, aiming to learn from international standards within the next three years. This learning-focused goal is part of the Kenya Kwanza administration's five-year pledge, with numerous employment drives underway to achieve this, including the hiring of 76,000 permanent teachers and the recruitment of 25,000 interns this year.
