Professionals Decry Huge Shortage Of Teachers Of English

Professionals Decry Huge Shortage Of Teachers Of English

English language professionals have decried a huge shortage of Teachers of English in the country saying if not addressed, it will affect the growth of the language in the country.

Led by the Chairman, English Language Professional Association of Kenya, an umbrella body for teachers of English in the country, Otieno Odhiambo, they said more teachers for the subject should be trained and hired.

Speaking during a stakeholders meeting at Zetech University, Mang’u Campus, the professionals said the shortage has led to a huge workload of the few teachers of English in most schools in the country.

Odhiambo said English being an important language in the country and a compulsory subject in the curriculum should be given priority and highly trained teachers hired.

He pointed out that most schools have less than five trained English teachers taking charge of the many students, leading to the overload.

“English being a compulsory subject, coupled with the government’s policy on 100 percent transition as well as the construction of more schools has made the situation worse. The few teachers of English are always overloaded. Some will teach 28 lessons in a week, which is too much,” said Odhiambo.

He at the same time raised concern over the few university students pursuing Bachelors of Education, English option, encouraging more students to pursue the subject due to market demands.

Zetech University Vice Chancellor Prof. Njenga Munene addressing the press during a stakeholders’ forum for teachers of English at the institution’s Mang’u Campus.