Effects of overcrowding in public schools
Public schools are usually characterized by inadequate resources, where the learner’s population outnumbers available teaching staff and classrooms.
Attendees of public schools frequently find themselves compelled to share limited government resources, in stark contrast to their counterparts in private schools, where resources are more readily available.
Vincent Ouma, a dedicated mathematics teacher at one of the public primary schools, shares his experience with Nairobi News.
“My class capacity was dwarfed by the influx of students. The desks are always crammed together, leaving no room to move or breathe. Also there is a lack of textbooks, lack of teaching and learning resources, poor attitude of students, influence of sheng and vernacular,” Ouma told Nairobi News.
On the other hand, Charity Phoebe, also a teacher at a public school shared her own struggles with Nairobi News where students sat on shared benches, vying for her attention in a sea of faces.
“The lack of resources stifled the potential for quality education,” Phoebe told Nairobi News.
Despite the challenges, the two shared stories of students who, against all odds, managed to shine through sheer determination.
These stories became their fuel to bring about change.
“Seeing a child perform well motivates me. Although I am faced by challenges such as delayed salary payment and lack of resources, determined learners give me courage to keep pushing,” Ouma told Nairobi News.
Lao to note, the current proposed funding model for higher education raises uncertainties for students attending private schools.
They are not guaranteed government support, and those eligible for assistance may need to resort to loans.
Navigating the existing system to secure quality education could lead to a future burdened by substantial school fees.
Public schools consistently grapple with a shortage of teachers, exacerbated by many teachers not being absorbed by the Teachers Service Commission.
The issue was accentuated by the Teachers Service Commission’s 2019/23 Strategic Plan, projecting teacher shortages: 99,081 (2019), 98,448 (2020), 97,826 (2021), 97,214 (2022), and 96,612 (2023).
The complete transition to secondary school has exacerbated this challenge, as the Ministry of Education consistently faces potential teacher strikes due to demands for improved salaries.
This situation places students at the mercy of a struggling system.
In numerous instances, teachers have been coerced back into the classroom by their employers, despite feeling demoralized and being inadequately compensated.
This scenario magnifies in the context of overcrowded classrooms, often hindering students’ ability to acquire basic reading and writing skills.
These are the difficulties parents seek to avoid by prioritizing their children’s interests through enrollment in private schools.
It is crucial for the government to address loopholes in the new funding model, as failure to do so could lead to an overwhelming population in public schools that the government may struggle to manage.
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