The gap between teacher demand and supply in secondary schools in Kisumu district Kenya

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Date
2008-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University, Institute of Open and Distance Learning
Abstract
In order for a country to achieve its educational goals, the teacher demands and supply is a key important factor to be considered. Kisumu District being one of the largest Districts in Kenya had progressively been having high teacher demand since the freeze of teacher's recruitment in 1997 by the government. The problem became worse when the impact of free Primary Education started being felt in Secondary schools. The District had realized high enrolment rate from 2004 to 2007, yet the supplies of teachers by the government could not meet the demand. As a result of the above, the researcher wanted to ascertain the real gap that existed between the demanded teachers and the actual number that were currently coming in the 71 secondary schools in the district. The researcher sampled 10 secondary schools randomly in the district for the purpose of the study and concluded that most of the schools are grossly understaffed with many teachers in various subjects/discipline were in adequate. Physical facilities were also below the required number of the students to use them. The classrooms were highly congested as the number of students per class could reach as high as 51. The pupils teacher ratio of 51: 1. This is against the education Act of Kenya which requires that a teacher handles only 40 students in classroom. It was to realization of the researcher that despite the fact that Kenya has got good number of trained teachers in secondary school courses, the number employed by Teachers Service Commission was still very low. Because of the high enrolments in secondary schools, many schools were supposed to be established. In every division there ought to have been at least five schools established to cater for the increment. As a result of students in secondary schools, it is suggested that more schools be established to minimize the high student teacher ratio increase. Due to the progressive increase of students in secondary schools occasioned by high transition rates; it also suggested that more class rooms to be established in most of the existing secondary schools. The Government had also to employ more teachers to cater for the increased number of students.
Description
A research project submitted to the Institute of Open and Distance Learning in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the Degree of Bachelor in Special Needs Education of Kampala International University
Keywords
supply, secondary schools
Citation