President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday announced the government will employ 10, 000 teachers and 1,000 interns to assist in digital learning during the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking during the seventh presidential address on Covid-19, Uhuru said his government has allocated Sh6.5 billion to the Ministry of Education to cater for the requirement of new teachers.
This is one of the targeted sectors in the eight-point economic stimulus rolled out by the government today. Education will get Sh53.7 billion.
“We have allocated an additional budget of Sh6.5 Billion to the Ministry of Education. The purpose of this is to hire 10, 000 teachers and 1, 000 ICT interns to support digital learning. The programme will also support the improvement of school infrastructure, including acquisition of 250, 000 locally fabricated desks. The aim is to get thousands of our graduates off the bench and into action. We will also support local artisans and builders businesses,” President Kenyatta said.
The President said he is aware of the anxiety parents have about the education of their children since the pandemic started. He promised to communicate on the state of education in the near future.
There have been concerns about the national examinations, with some people proposing that the exams be postponed.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen has said reopening schools now would be catastrophic and said the earliest they can open is January next year.
“I know the anxiety weighing on the minds of parents and their children in regard to when schools will re-open. We will be communicating regarding the plans we have for the education sector,” the President said.
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Since the pandemic started, schools have closed and students have been forced to social-distance at home. At the moment, some schools are offering online classes.
The other sectors in the 8-point economic stimulus are Education, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Environment, Health, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Infrastructure. The funds have been set aside in an effort to revive the economy which has been adversely affected since the start of coronavirus.
