The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Wilson Sossion, former Secretary General of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), has linked the subpar performance in the previous year’s KCSE exam to a shortage of motivated educators in many schools.
During an an interview on Citizen TV’s Daybreak Show, Sossion expressed worry about the significant number of grade E results, with over half of the candidates achieving D’s and E’s.
The nominated Senator emphasized that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) should prioritize the recruitment of qualified teachers for schools across the country, without distinctions between National, Extra County, County, or sub-county divisions. Sossion argued that this approach would promote equal access to quality education for all learners, eliminating favoritism among schools.
He asserted, “Invest in teachers for every school; not just national schools but all schools without categorization because that is promoting discrimination and inequity. A school is a school, and every school must have a qualified teacher in the classroom consistently.”
Sossion cited Tenwek High School in Bomet County, where he previously taught, as an example. He credited the school’s consistent high performance to the board’s efforts in hiring teachers independently. During his tenure, he mentioned that half of the teaching staff was employed by the Board of Management, contributing to the students’ success.
The former KNUT leader urged the government to acknowledge and reward teachers who excelled in the recent examinations, emphasizing the need for proper infrastructure and learning tools in educational institutions.
Sossion’s views were supported by Emuhaya MP and KUPPET Secretary General Omboko Milemba, who echoed the call for teacher motivation. Milemba expressed concerns about the challenges faced by teachers, including a lack of promotions and inadequate salary incentives. Despite these issues, he expressed confidence in the government’s recent decision to hire 55,000 teachers in a year.
In the recently announced KCSE results, approximately five percent (48,173) of candidates obtained a mean grade of E, while only 201,133 students achieved a mean grade of C+ and above out of the total 899,453 candidates.
