• The number of teacher training colleges reduced from 406 in 2018 to 384 in 2019.
• The population of teacher trainees dropped by over a quarter to 31,737 from 39,000.
Image: FILE
Teachers' colleges are in a dilemma as the number of students enrolling for teaching programmes continues to decrease.
The 2020 Economic Survey report, which was unveiled in Nairobi on Tuesday, indicates a downward trend in enrolment of students seeking to pursue certificate and diploma courses.
According to the survey, the number of teachers training colleges reduced from 406 in 2018 to 384 in 2019.
Over the same period, the population of trainees dropped by a quarter to 31,737 from 39,000.
The reduction is partly attributed to the low number of candidates scoring C plain in KCSE, which is the minimum entry score to teacher training colleges.
Halt in admission
However, the report also attributes the reduction in the number of trainees to the one-year halt on admission as the colleges upgrade the current certificate—popularly referred to as P1— training to diploma.
These colleges have since witnessed a decrease in enrolment by half to 11,111 in 2019, further risking hundreds of academic staff jobs in the institutions.
Admission is expected to resume in September.
The number of those currently taking diploma teaching programmes also declined by 5.6 per cent from 2,158 in 2018 to 2,037 last year.
During the review period, enrolment of male teacher trainees in diploma colleges decreased by 13.0 per cent, while that of female teacher trainees increased by 3.8 per cent.
Jobless teachers
Teachers Service Commission boss Nancy Macharia last year said the number of unemployed teachers was expected to surpass those employed by the close of last year.
Data from the TSC indicates that 216,517 teachers are in primary schools and 100,493 in secondary schools, totalling 317,010 teachers in service.
The number of unemployed trained teachers stands at 309,000 this year.
The TSC employs about 5,000 teachers annually.
Even if the commission absorbs teachers and meets the shortage, the TSC acknowledges most teachers will remain out of service as the shortfall stands slightly above 100,000.
Edited by A.N