Garissa governor Nathif Jama (right) chairs a meeting of education stakeholders Thursday at his office in Garissa. He has said he will issue a comprehensive report on the way forward concerning education standards in the county after analysing the 2013 KCPE results. Garissa was ranked last together with Mandera County with each getting a mean score of 183 marks. PHOTO/ABDIMALIK HAJIR. NATION
By ABDIMALIK HAJIR
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Garissa County governor Nathif Jama over the weekend said he will not apologise to school heads over remarks that school administrators who serve more than four years and continue to post poor results will face the sack.
Nathif also called for schools heads to apologise for boycotting what he termed as a holistic meeting with education stakeholders to look at ways to enhance education after poor results in last year's Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations.
Garissa ranked last together with Mandera County with each getting a mean score of 183 marks. Out of the county’s 7,507 KCPE candidates who sat for the exam, only 1,306 managed to get more than 250 marks. (READ: My school not last in KCPE exam, says Alfatah headteacher)
REFUSED TO GO IN
There was drama earlier after a section of primary school headteachers in the county converged outside Garissa Hotel where the meeting was taking place and refused to go in.
Speaking to the media, Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary - Ijara branch Salah Mohamud Hassan said the governor's remarks were reckless and uncalled for.
“We have decided to snub this meeting because of the remarks we have seen in the papers, we don’t fall under the county government. We are telling him to keep off teachers' affairs, we will not attend until he apologises to teachers,” said Mr Salah who was flanked by school heads.
Salah said the county government did not have a mandate to sack or demote teachers adding that the education matters have been politicised.
Addressing those who attended the meeting, the visibly angry governor said it was painful for the county to be the second last in the country despite the availability of adequate learning facilities.
“Teachers in this county should be ashamed for holding students and parents at ransom for 22 years,” said the governor. “Whether they like it or not, teachers must embrace for changes for the next five years.”
Nathif said his administration, with support from the national government, will not relent in taking action such as transfers, demotions and even dismissal of teachers who fail to perform effectively in the county. (READ: Garissa governor concerned over dismal KCPE performance)
The Governor, County Director of Education Adan Sheikh Abdullahi and Yusuf Noor Yunis of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) gave a joint statement last week saying school administrators who stay for more than four years in any given school and continue to post poor results will face disciplinary measures.