Category: Education

School principals in Makueni County have been asked to collaborate with National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) in an effort to improve security in their institutions, area County Commissioner (CC) Mr. Henry Wafula says.

Consequently, Wafula said the head teachers should work closely with security agencies to improve the security of learners within the schools and the surrounding.

‘The close collaboration of NGAO and school heads, will enhance the protection of students and their belongings and the non-teaching staff in the school hence mitigate the risk of any loss of property,’ said Wafula while addressing principals and heads of secondary and primary schools at Makueni Boys on Tuesday.

On sponsorship, the administrator warned individuals who took advantage of poor girls that the government will take stern measures if they are found exploiting them sexually.

During the event, he also warned men found defiling minors and also involved in incest, will be dealt with according to the law of the l
and.

Wafula further said that individuals who will be found selling drugs and bhang to students will face the full force of the law.

Speaking at the same function, Makueni County Police Commander Alice Kimeli asked school heads to implement a biometric system to monitor students when they access and exit school in order to improve security.

The head teachers were led by the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Julius Mutwii who asked the teachers to involve students in issues of security.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Kenya Industrial Estate (KIE) has held a meeting with Bomet township traders whom they trained on how to start, grow, and get funds for their businesses that have been struggling.

The meeting attracted small and medium enterprises providing them with medium and long-term development finance and training skills that are intended to see the gradual growth of their business to improve the economy of the county.

While addressing the meeting, the KIE chairperson, Ms Lily Ng’ok acknowledged that Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are strategic drivers of socio-economic transformation in developing nations.

In Kenya’s Vision 2030 blueprint, the growth of the small manufacturing sector which includes the Juakali industry and the small business enterprise are among the six drivers of the Kenyan economy under the economic pillar.

‘KIE is in Bomet to share with business owners how this enterprise can help them run their businesses. We have advised them to take loans for business expansion, capital educatio
n on how to manage business, and sensitization in matters of business,’ explained Ng’ok.

Ng’ok also advised youths in the county to engage in business and the Jua kali industry stating that this would eradicate vices like drug abuse, and robbery among others from the youths.

‘I want to urge our youth to engage in the entrepreneurship sector, borrow loans start business and artisanal centres like Juakali shades, this is likely going to keep you busy and divert your minds from engaging in drug abuse, mugging, and other vices that are likely going to land you in the wrong side of the law,’ explained Ng’ok.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Since the roll-out of the school feeding program by the county government of Busia, class

enrollment for Early Child Development Education (ECDE) has increased by 25% with

parents now opting to take underage to school to enjoy a meal.

Before the interception of the program, the regular class enrolment stood at 40,000 across 460 public ECDE learning institutions in the county and the number has now risen to over 53,000 within one month since the program was launched.

Education stakeholders in various institutions who spoke to KNA while on spot-check have praised the program as they committed their support toward the program.

Peter Iganga the head teacher at Mujuru primary school applauded the county government for the intervention owing to the high poverty index in the county had pushed most pupils to stay away from class as they could not withstand staying in class for 6 hours on an empty stomach.

‘This program has helped to improve learner’s retention rate and enrollment giving

teachers an easy task w
hen it comes to syllabus coverage,’ Iganga noted.

‘The feeding program doubled the class attendance here at school with learners expressing a lot of enthusiasm and positivity in their school work,’ he added.

His sentiments were echoed by Antony Ogutu the school head Igero Primary School who noted that the level of absenteeism has greatly dropped which is a positive gesture on learners’ performance in class.

‘ECDE learners are very emotional and not easy to handle, but since the programme was launched by the governor one month ago, we have experienced happy class interaction with most learners feeling happy during school days as opposed to when they are going back at home,’ Ogutu said.

However, they have implored the county government of Busia to supply enough beans that cover the whole term for the smooth running of the programme.

The health and nutrition of school-age children (5-9 years of age; referred to as middle childhood) receive less attention than that of younger children or adolescents. However
, this life stage is critical for learning and intellectual development as well as for shaping attitudes, behaviours, and practices. An integrated package of essential health and nutrition services implemented through schools is a key investment in better futures for children and their communities

The ECDE teachers who spoke to the press commended the program noting that it has given them an easy time to focus on molding pupils in their early development for their brighter days ahead in school.

‘Dealing with a happy lot of learners gives you joy as a teacher, it reduces a lot of time we waste on stress management of pupils before we embark on class session, we can project better performance among our learners should the program continue,’ said Ann Wangeci, ECDE teacher at Mujuru.

Janet Namale another ECDE teacher at Burumba said with reduced levels of absenteeism, teachers are now able to bond with learners giving them enough time to understand the abilities of different learners as recommended by CBC.

‘W
hen teachers get enough time to bond with learners, they understand their abilities and weaknesses earlier making it easy for them to handle them appropriately,’ said Madam Namale.

Speaking during the launch of the school feeding programme, Busia Governor, Dr.Paul Otuoma stated the move is to fight stunted growth among young children because of malnutrition.

‘This feeding program aims at addressing stunted growth among children in Busia which stands at 15% according to UNICEF report of 2023,’ Governor Otuma said.

‘With a population of over 50,000 learners, this program aims at improving nutrition level among school-going children, boosting the enrollment level across all schools,’ the governor emphasized.

Parents were urged by both the county and school administrations to embrace the programs for their success.

The county government of Busia has invested 33 million in the school feeding program.

Source: Kenya News Agency

One hundred and sixty orphans and vulnerable students in Nyamira County, have benefited from the Presidential Bursary, to enable them access their basic right of secondary education.

Nyamira County Children Services Co-ordinator, Rasto Omollo, confirmed to KNA that over two million shillings have been disbursed to the orphans, who had lost hope of accessing secondary education, due to poverty and lack of financially stable caregivers.

‘We have disbursed a total of Sh2, 217,250 to 160 orphans, which will enable them access their secondary education. All our new beneficiaries have joined form one and we hope to give them support until they finish their secondary education,’ Omollo confirmed.

‘All our new beneficiaries are those who joined form one this year. We shall clear the remaining school fee balances, when we shall receive the remaining half of the disbursement, before the close of this Financial Year,’ Rasto said.

He explained that there are beneficiaries who were between form two to form four in var
ious secondary schools countrywide and depending on the school the student was admitted in, Sh15,000 was disbursed for Sub-county and Sh30,000 Extra-county and National Secondary schools.

‘It is not possible to enroll all orphans in the Presidential Bursary programme because they are many compared to the funds allocated for the same, we therefore, form a special select committee, which evaluates all the applications forms, and thereafter approve those orphans who are very vulnerable and genuinely deserve to benefit from the bursary kitty,’ the County Children Services Co-ordinator explained.

Sharon Momanyi, a form four student at Nyakeore Secondary School in Nyamira South Sub-county, said she was very grateful for being considered to be a beneficiary of the Presidential Bursary, because she had lost hope of undertaking her secondary education because she was under the care of her grandmother, who was very old and could not work to cater for her education needs.

According to Sharon, so long as she has eaten
, that was more than enough because she was unable to provide other basic needs, including education.

Rasto urged students to work hard in school and score good grades which would give them an opportunity to be enrolled in competitive career courses and transform their vulnerability and entire life once they get employment.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Twenty-six thousand intern teachers will be absorbed under Permanent and Pensionable terms in the 2024/25 Financial Year, the National Assembly Budget and Appropriation Committee Chairman Ndindi Nyoro has revealed.

The Budget and Appropriation Committee chair also said the government through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) would hire an additional 20,000 intern teachers during the next financial year.

He said Sh26.3 billion has been budgeted by the National Assembly during the financial year to factor in the hiring of the new interns as well as for confirmation of the current intern teachers on Permanent and Pensionable terms.

Speaking during a church fundraiser in aid of AIC Annex church in Kesses Sub County, Uasin Gishu county Nyoro said the Kenya Kwanza government was determined to address the shortage of teachers in all public primary and secondary schools in the country given the 100 percent transition policy.

‘All the current 26,000 intern teachers will be confirmed on Permanent and Pensionabl
e employment as promised by President William Ruto, and an additional 20,000 interns will be recruited in the next financial year,’ said Nyoro.

Nyoro was also categorical that no region would be discriminated against in terms of employment and development based on how they voted during the last general elections.

‘The Kenya Kwanza government under the leadership of President Ruto will ensure development projects are spread across the country regardless of how the people cast their votes in the 2022 polls,’ assured the Kiharu Constituency Member of Parliament.

The fundraiser was attended by a cross-section of leaders including Oscar Sudi (MP Kapseret), Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikir), Josses Lelmengit (Emgwen), Joseph Wainana (Nominated), Peter Salasya Mumias East, and David Kiplagat (Soy).

Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, his Trans Nzoia counter Allan Chesang were also in attendance, Uasin Gishu Governor Dr. Jonathan Bii, and Principal Secretary for Immigration Julius Bittock.

The Kenya Kwanza leaders di
smissed assertions that there were rifts in the party, with those from the Mt Kenya region terming the allegations as propaganda aimed at causing disunity in the party.

Nominated MP Joseph Wainaina said that all Mt Kenya leaders were united under Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua contrary to claims that the second in command was losing his grip in Mt. Kenya.

Source: Kenya News Agency