• Government urged to increase the number of teachers in marginalised counties
• Parents are forced to sell their property to ensure that teachers are paid on time
The shortage of government teachers in West Pokot has forced parents to employ their own tutors.
Some have had to sell their property to ensure that teachers are paid on time, some local leaders, among them Governor John Lonyangapuo said.
They asked the national government to increase the number of teachers to marginalised counties.
“We should be given special consideration. We should not be given the same slots as other counties during recruitment,” Lonyangapuo said.
The governor said that the shortage was 75 per cent three years ago and parents had to employ teachers to prepare their children for national examinations.
The shortage affects both primary and secondary school learners.
"We depend on board of management teachers to enable our children to compete with others nationally,” Lonyangapuo said.
He said only a few teachers were hired during the recent Teachers Service Commission recruitment.
“In one school (Chewoyet Boys), we have over 25 teachers employed by the board of management yet the school was elevated to national status,” the governor said.
He said the county had a high appetite for education. “Most of our people are now moving from cattle rustling to book rustling. The government needs to help us since it’s only through education that outdated cultural practices in this region will be eradicated.”
The county chief said the elder were also enrolling for adult education classes.
“Everybody is thirsty for education and the government should help our people in ensuring that they have requisite skilled manpower for them to realise their dreams,” he said.
Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto said, “It’s the mandate of the government to ensure that public schools have enough teachers."