Nine instructors in the adult education department have retired in the past three years therefore causing a gap in the coordination of 164 centres across the 12 sub-counties in Kiambu County.
The Shortage of instructors has hit various adult education institutions in Kiambu County forcing an additional cost in manning the learning programmes.
Speaking to KNA from her office on Saturday, the Kiambu County Adult Education Coordinating Officer (CAECO), Ms Susan Itonde stated that more tutors had retired leaving a small number of instructors to teach the learners.
“The response of learners is positive as their thirst for education in centres where they have continued to flock in large numbers despite the shortage of tutors,” she said.
The CAECO further observed that out of the 38 permanent teachers that were employed by the ministry in 1979 and 2010, nine instructors had retired causing difficulty in coordinating the programme.
Ms Itonde noted that the department greatly relies on part time instructors and volunteers to ensure they quench the educational desire of 2,941 learners in the learning facilities.
“Currently we source 79 instructors who work three days in a week and nine part time teachers who prepare the learners for the National examination”
Apart from shortage of tutors, Ms Itonde highlighted that the Adult continuing education programme was facing a challenge in learning materials and infrastructure, stating that they mainly use public utilities as venues for their classes.
“We borrow school halls, churches and private premises that are conducive during the two hour sessions,” she added.
According to the CAECO there were issues of people running Adult education centres without being registered thus making the department not being able to acquire all statistics of the number of enrolment in the county.
Ms Itonde emphasized that more adult education should be done in baraza and the society to enable the government address high school dropouts.
She further urged the residents to disassociate themselves from social stigmatization which was causing many people to shy away from school and emphasized on the need of knowledge acquisition which can make social development goals to be attained.
A spot check in adult literacy centres in Kiambu revealed that they hosted more women compared to men as they were more engaged in businesses mainly in markets and along the pavements of major roads in Kiambu.
By David Katono
