When you help your child with Maths homework this evening, consider this disturbing reality: across Kenya, many Junior Secondary School students are being taught core subjects like Mathematics and Integrated Science by teachers who specialized in completely different fields. In one confirmed case, a trained English teacher is being forced to teach these technical subjects – and she’s not alone.
This isn’t just an education bureaucracy problem – this is your child’s learning experience being compromised. The JSS teacher shortage has reached a critical point where qualified teachers are being assigned subjects outside their expertise, potentially affecting your child’s foundation in crucial STEM subjects that determine future career paths.
What This Means for Your Child’s Education:
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LEARNING GAPS IN CRUCIAL SUBJECTS: When an English teacher struggles with algebraic concepts or scientific principles, students inevitably develop learning gaps that can affect their entire academic future and KCSE performance.
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DECLINING CONFIDENCE IN SCHOOLS: As parents notice their children struggling with subjects taught by unqualified teachers, trust in the public education system erodes, creating anxiety about their children’s future prospects.
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INCREASED PRESSURE ON FAMILIES: This teaching crisis may force parents to seek expensive private tutoring to compensate for inadequate classroom instruction, creating financial strain on household budgets.
