{"id":44424,"date":"2022-02-17T18:25:55","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T18:25:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nyamboyotechnical.org\/?p=44424"},"modified":"2022-02-17T18:26:16","modified_gmt":"2022-02-17T18:26:16","slug":"public-education-in-kenya-a-crisis-of-quality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nyamboyotechnical.org\/public-education-in-kenya-a-crisis-of-quality\/","title":{"rendered":"Public Education in Kenya – a Crisis of Quality"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

By <\/b>Petra from Sparkley.eu \u00a0 www.sparkley.eu<\/a><\/p>

How has the quality of education in Kenya changed since 2003?\u00a0 Why isn’t it working?
<\/b><\/p>

When free primary education became available in 2003, Kenyan schools were unprepared for the huge student influx.\u00a0 Between 2003 and 2012, the number of students attending Kenyan primary schools increased by more than 3 million.\u00a0 7,000 primary schools were added nationwide.\u00a0 However, the facilities, staffing and supplies were far from sufficient to accommodate all interested students.\u00a0<\/p>

Since 2012, the pupil-teacher ratio has steadily increased.\u00a0 By 2015, World Bank data revealed a ratio of 31 students per teacher.\u00a0 But according to a 2015 BBC report, classroom size was vastly underreported.\u00a0 One Nairobi school, the Olympic Primary School admitted that some classes have as many as 120 pupils in one room, handled by one teacher<\/b>.\u00a0<\/p>

Moreover, it is reported that more than half of the teachers in public schools do not attend classes<\/b>, with 15% of teachers not coming to school at all and 45% teachers being present at school, but in fact not teaching.\u00a0 In 2021, the Kenyan Teachers Service Commission reported a teacher shortage of 104,000 instructors \u2013 over 46,000\u00a0 at the primary school level and close to 58,000 in post-primary schools.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

This situation is tragic. Children hoping to overcome poverty through education find themselves in schools where the number of teachers is not sufficient.\u00a0 Teachers are overloaded and report \u201cburn out\u201d within a few short years.\u00a0 So, understaffed schools find themselves not only short-staffed but also with many absent teachers, forcing class sizes to balloon beyond management.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Therefore, Kenyans with the financial means enroll their children in private schools where they are guaranteed a quality education.\u00a0 Private school fees range from around $6,000 to $27,000 annually.\u00a0 Two thirds of Kenya\u2019s population live on less than $2 per day<\/b>. Therefore, access to education by low-income families is an impossibility. As the world develops and becomes increasingly connected and computerized, low-income children, fall further and further behind.\u00a0<\/p>

In Nyamboyo Village, a rural area of Kenya where most of our students live without basic modern necessities such as electricity and running water, the problem is more acute.\u00a0 This is a community based vocational school, like NTS is so important.<\/b><\/p>

NTS provides a 3-year professional education<\/b> to youth aged 14-20 completely free of charge<\/b>. There are NO <\/b>hidden fees.\u00a0 We also realize that student retention depends upon health and well-being.\u00a0 If students are hungry, it is difficult to learn.\u00a0 If students are not safe, it is hard to stay focused.\u00a0 If young women fear an embarrassment during their period, they will not come to school.\u00a0 We have taken it upon ourselves to eliminate stigmas, obstacles and barriers where ever possible.<\/p>

NTS supports our students by providing:<\/p>