The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) North Eastern branch officials have accused the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of opposing Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

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The KNUT officials said TSC is opposing CS Amina and the Kenya National Qualification Authority (KNQA) plan to lower the minimum entry points to teachers training colleges (TTC).

KNUT assistant national treasurer Ali Abdi said many of their children who have enrolled in teachers colleges will be affected if the entry points are changed.

Speaking to the press in Garissa town after a regional council meeting, the officials said the new entry point for teacher training colleges will help boost the number of teachers in marginalized regions.

Mr Abdi said TSC should not oppose the plan to lower the entry grade claiming that TSC has failed to improve the quality of education in the region especially in marginalized communities.

“It is unfortunate that TSC has continued to wrongly advice the executive on many policies which in turn antagonize and de-professionalize the teaching career to the disadvantage of our children.”

“Many of our students have already attained the reviewed grades and are already in colleges countrywide and the decision to oppose the plan will psychologically affect them and their parents,” he said as quoted by kenyanews.go.ke.

CS Amina had directed that D+ students seeking to join teachers training colleges (TTC) can now join after the government reviewed entry grade from C to D+.

The counties to benefit from the new directive include Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Tana River, Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Lamu, and West Pokot counties.

Garissa KNUT executive Abdirizack Hussein urged the president to intervene in the matter saying the youth in the region have already joined the teaching colleges.

Mandera County KNUT Secretary, Kullow Mohamed urged TSC to hold a meeting with relevant stakeholders in order to solve the issues that would affect the education sector in the region.

“We as leaders are receiving numerous calls from frustrated parents who want to know the fate of their children in colleges. TSC is an authority whose mandate is to recruit and manage teachers and does not have the jurisdiction over teacher training and qualifications,” Kullow said.