United States, US, first lady, Melania Trump is set to visit Africa in October, 2018. Making the announcement on Wednesday, 26 September, Melania said that she will visit Kenya, Ghana, Malawi and Egypt. This is Melania’s major first international solo visit aimed at promoting Education and Children’s welfare.
Melania Trump, US first lady
“In October I will mark the first day of my solo visit t four beautiful and very different countries in Africa: Ghana, Malawi, Kenya and Egypt,” the 48 year old American first lady said. This announcement was made during a reception party to welcome spouses of visiting heads of states and other foreign delegations on the sidelines of the United Nations, UN, General Assembly. “Am so proud of the work this administration is doing through the USAID and others, and look forward for the opportunity to take the message of my ‘Be Best’ campaign to many of the countries and children throughout Africa,” she added.
Melania, a mother of one, has in the past traveled to Canada, alone, and joined president Donald Trump on several over sees trips. Mr. Donald Trump, the US president, is yet to step feet in Africa since taking over the presidency from Barrack Obama and he spurred controversy at the start of 2018 when he referred to some African States as being “Shithole”.
Donald Trump, US president
Melania’s trip to Africa will focus on good-deed projects and it comes after launching her Signature awareness campaign, early this year, to help Vulnerable children.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations, DCI, Detectives last night arrested 5 abductors, among them a university student and a soldier, within Eastleigh area and rescued 3 victims. The abductors were demanding for Ksh.5,000 release fee (ransom) from each victim. The suspects will be arraigned in court today.
Those arrested are:
Mohamed Sharmake Abdi; a soldier based at the Kahawa Barracks
Mr. Abdikalif Mohammed Noor
Ahmed Abdullahi Abdi (The driver of the vehicle)
Abdi Hamid Mohamed Abdi~Student at the Kenya Methodist University, KeMU, and
The TSC may retire a teacher on grounds of public interest upon considering every available report with regard to the public protests and complaint against the teacher and upon considering that it will be undesirable to retain such a teacher in the teaching service.
An employee whose conduct and behavior may not be conducive for peaceful and effective learning or whose behavior may pose a threat to the well being of learners and fellow teachers may be retired in the Public Interest.
Such a teacher may be retired at any age, provided they are in permanent and pensionable establishment.
DECLARATION OF TEACHER LEAVING THE SERVICE
A complaint or report to warrant the retirement of a teacher on grounds of public interest shall demonstrate that the teacher has engaged in in acts or omissions that contravene public interest and policy.
Dr. Fred Okengo Matiang’i was on 24 November 2015, appointed as the cabinet secretary for Education by President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a cabinet reshuffle. During his tenure at the Education docket, Matiang’i saw the introduction of far reaching radical changes. Some of the changes were unsuccessful but most were successful.
SUCCESSFUL CHANGES & POLICIES INTRODUCED BY MATIANG’I
Radical changes at the Kenya National Examinations Council:
Matiang’i saw the introduction of new changes to safeguard the integrity of National examinations. Some of those changes that have brought sanity at the Council include:
Procurement of additional containers for Storage of examination materials.The CS procured 67 additional containers to secure the exam papers in new Sub Counties and in other vast areas whose terrain called for additional containers. Installation of the containers at the Sub Counties was completed by July 30, 2017.
Free Registration of all Candidates.The government currently pays all the registration fees for all candidates sitting national examinations in KCPE and KCSE.
Centre managers during exams: Deputy head teachers now remain in schools to assist their head teachers who act as centre managers. However, where a school has more than one deputy, only one of the deputies can be in the school at any given time. all school heads are in charge of their examination centres and shall are held personally responsible for the cheating cases reported in their institutions.
Exam areas out of bounds for other teachers. Teachers remain out of the examination area. To limit contact between students and outsiders, and reduce disturbances during examination period, Matiang’i banned all non-academic activities during third term. However, teachers involved in practical subjects stay in school to prepare for the practicals, only when the exam is taking place.
Disbanding KNEC Board.Matiang’i disbanded the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) Board, with the subsequent sacking of nine board members, after it was accused of abetting exam irregularities. Prof. George Magoha was appointed the new Council chairman as Ms. M.G. Karogo was appointed the acting Chief Executive Officer.
Early release of results. In December, Matiang’i caught the country by surprise after releasing the 2016 examination results abruptly without prior notice contrary to the tradition where the marks were announced after the Christmas holiday.
Compressed examination period: the Kenya National Examination Council has since condensed the KCSE calendar to 30 days. while, the KCPE exams calendar has been condensed to 3 days. Marking days have also been greatly reduced.
examination Container in Kenya
2. Rationalization of Schools calendar.
The school calendar was harmonized. Term 1 and 2 to have 14 weeks and 9 weeks for term 3 for forms 1,2 and 3.
3. Restructuring Form One Candidates selection
The CS also introduced a new schedule of Form One candidate selection which starts a week after the release of the results. The candidates also report to their respective schools on January, as opposed to earlier years where the exercise happened in February.
4. Intoduction of NEMIS:
The ministry, from January this year, introduced a unique personal identifier (UPI), which is used to submit enrollment data.
5. Formulation of a new Teachers’ Evaluation method:
The TSC introduced the mandatory performance contract and appraisals. TSC said the Performance Contracting (PC) and Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) will continue to be rolled out
6. Restructuring of university learning
Every university will be expected to prepare and submit to the Commission an annual report in a prescribed format.
CUE will work with universities to convert the school-based courses into quality part-time programmes with sufficient opportunities for research and contact between the learners and their lecturers.
Universities to ensure that class sizes and staff to student ratios are within the allowable limits, as provided for in the Standards and Guidelines.
7. Delocalizarion of schools heads:
Headteachers and principals will not serve in the same school for more than nine years. School heads and deputy schools heads will be required to be holders of a Bachelor of Education degree while principals and deputy principals must possess a Masters degree. Already, the Teachers Service Commission has rolled out the contentious delocalization exercise, with the Kenya National union of Teachers, KNUT, vehemently opposing it.
8. Waiver of school fees and increasing government subsidy to Free Secondary Education and Free Primary education: In the new fees structure, all students in day secondary school are entitled to a Sh22,240 capitation from the government. This is because the government announced it has increased capitation per child by some Sh9,374 per year, bringing to Sh22,244, the total amount the state will now release per child per year in all secondary schools. Read more details here…https://newsblaze.co.ke/public-schools-hit-with-financial-crunch-as-government-delays-release-of-fse-and-fpe-funds/
9. The directive on the painting of school buses.
All school buses have been painted yellow according to the new regulations, introduced by the Cabinet Secretary.
Yellow painted school bus
10. New Textbooks Policy:
Matiang’i saw the implementation of the new textbooks policy where each form one student receives six books on opening day. Under this policy, each Form One student reporting to public schools is supplied with six books on the core subjects of mathematics, English, Kiswahili, biology, chemistry and physics. The government now directly procures the textbooks as opposed to the earlier dispensation where money for the textbooks was wired to schools for them to in turn purchase the books.
CS MATIANG’I; REFORMS THAT NEVER SAW LIGHT OF DAY:
Consolidation of primary and secondary schools’ leadership.
Plans to consolidate leadership of primary and secondary schools that share a compound never took off. According to the plans, only one school head was to manage the two institutions, with two deputies appointed to each wing.
2. Periodic Meetings for teachers in the same subject area:
Additionally, teachers of the same subject area were to be required to hold meetings to improve performance. Subject teachers in an institution would hold meetings on specific days in a week to discuss and find solutions to issues that affect teaching and learning in their subjects. Teachers from different schools within the same locality were also hold formal structured sessions to address performance gaps in subject areas.
This year’s gala that went down at the Safari Park hotel, in Nairobi, last night saw the crowning of the eloquent West Pokot County, Ms. Sarah Pkyach, as the new Miss Tourism Kenya- 2018. Sarah trounced 39 other contestants to win this year’s title. Among the luminaries who graced the event, were: Hon. Ababu Namwamba and CS Eugene Wamalwa. The overall winner was awarded with 1.2M shillings worth of a contract with Miss Tourism Kenya Organization and a chance to represent Kenya on a global stage.
Sarah, now, has three coveted crowns to herself: She is the reigning Miss JKUAT (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology), Miss Tourism West Pokot County and Miss Tourism Kenya. JKUAT was represented by 3 beauties at yesterday’s grand finale: Bridgit Kanini (Miss machakos County), Stella Ageya (Miss Kisumu County) and the winner, Miss Sarah Pkyach (Miss West Pokot County).
Miss Sarah is a third year student at JKUAT pursuing a Bachelors of Science Degree in Bio-statistics in the college of Pure and Applied Sciences (COPAS).
A boy was caught, last week, sitting a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, KCSE, music examinations on behalf of a boy in Kakamega county. The boy identified as Ambrose Wekesa Tumo, a form three student at Eden Faith High School, was discovered by the Kenya National Examinations Council, KNEC, Assessors sitting the Music Practical paper on behalf of a Mukuyu girls’ candidate.
The Assessors, Phoebe Mwaura and Mesea Kennedy, were concerned when they saw the candidate playing the Litungu instrument with prowess, a scenario that raised eyebrows as to if indeed the candidate was a girl. On further investigations, the assessors found out that the candidate was a boy and was sitting the paper on behalf of a Mukuyu Secondary School girl.
The boy was then arrested and taken to Lumakanda police station were the case was reported. The Music Practical examination was being carried out at Lumakanda Boys Centre. Heavy penalty awaits the culprit if found culpable. The boy was dressed in a Mukuyu girls’ uniform, a case of impersonation.
The KCSE exams commenced on Monday 22nd October, 2018, with: French, German, Arabic, Kenya Sign Language and Music practicals.
Kenya’s Rugby 7’s team, Shujaa, over-came Zambia 33-7 in their Main Cup Quarters match of the Africa Men’s Sevens at the Kennel Stadium in Monastir, Tunisia. The match ended few minutes ago. . Catch all the action on KWESE SPORTS.
The Rugby Union, KRU, has appointed a new management team, today:
Head Coach: Paul Murunga
Assistant Coach: Kevin Wambua
Strength and conditioning Coach: Geoffrey Kimani
Physio: Lamech Bogonko
The KRU confirmed the appointment via a presser on their website:
{The Kenya Rugby Union this afternoon unveiled the Kenya Sevens incoming Management Team. This is owing to the fact that the two year contract given to the former management comes to an end on the last day of October 2018.
Paul Murunga comes into the team as the Head Coach and he will be assisted by Kevin Mwema. We caught up with the two and both are excited and humbled to be taking on this new challenge. Murunga was the Shujaa Assistant Coach in 2016 when the team lifted the first ever HSBC Sevens Trophy in Singapore.
“I am very excited, it’s been a journey in terms of coaching and for me this is the ultimate challenge. I’ve been in the set up as the Assistant Coach but now being the Head Coach the focus will be mostly on me. From past experience, I believe I am ready for the new role. I’ll continue putting God first and ensure I am able to work according to his will. I am sure we shall have a good season as we build up a very strong side that will continue raising the flag high”
Incoming Assistant Coach Kevin Mwema is also very delighted to be appointed for this position. “ I am extremely humbled to have been considered for this job. The previous coached have done a fantastic job in laying down the foundation and structures. As we come in to this side, we shall have our own canvas as we also build up on the players they have left. Probably tweak a few things and as we work on ensuring Kenya’s name remains on the map in matters rugby.”
The two are joined by Geoffrey Kimani who maintains his role as the Strength and Conditioning Coach while Lamech Bogonko retains his position as the Team Physio. This technical Bench will be on a two year contract.}
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