Archives 2020

Hundreds of private school teachers in Nakuru County have had their contracts suspended as the school shutdown heads to the third month.

President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered all schools closed on March 13 to counter the spread of Covid-19 in Kenya.
According to letters sent to the teachers by their employers and interviews with officials of the Private Schools Owners Association, the contracts have been suspended indefinitely.

The schools, in their notifications to the teachers, said the contracts remain suspended because of inability to sustain their payrolls.

Nakuru County Private Schools Owners Association Chairman John Waweru said the institutions took the decision due to the prevailing circumstances.

«Some of our members have delayed the decision as they try to get school fees arrears from parents to keep their staff on the payroll,» said Mr Waweru.

April and May

In one of the letters seen by The Standard, a private school has notified its teachers that the suspension of contract for the month of April and May will be treated like a normal holiday.

«This is taken to save the situation of any legitimacy that may arise later on. We all feel for you but we have nothing to do but to protect the school for future sustainability,» a letter to the staff by St Joseph’s Kirandich Secondary school in Nakuru noted.

The school noted that the staff might not be able to sign their contracts as was the norm whenever school re-opens.
In another letter by Carol Academy, the school notifies all teaching and non-teaching staff of unpaid leave.

Due to unforeseen circumstances caused by Covid-19 worldwide, the board of management of Carol Academy has decided to allow you to proceed on unpaid leave effective April 1, 2020 until further notice as directed by the national government, the letter read.

The board explained that with all schools closed it was difficult to generate income to run operations.

We regret this action but have no alternative as the school is no longer operational. We pray and hope that the situation will improve in the coming days when we shall inform you to resume work,» the letter stated.

Henry Ogada, the principal of Kings Academy, said the current situation posed a challenge in keeping staff on the payroll because private schools were no longer generating incomes.

As a student or recent graduate there are many important things we were not taught in class. You were not shown how to get a job and what to expect in the professional world.

1. That you need a professional CV to get a job

While in school, no one, even teachers and lecturers ever mentioned to me that having a CV was a very important tool for successful job search after graduation. All were taught was ‘Education is the key to success. So most of us just wanted to graduate, get a job automatically and succeed in life.

After looking for a job for two years without success, I approached a friend who asked to see my CV. He pointed out that my CV was the one letting me down. It was not professional to fit the current job market.

A professional CV is your marketing tool in the real world. Even when you don’t have any work experience, you need one that contains your skills and introduces you to Kenyan employers.
It is important that you seek help from CV Writing professionally in Kenya and ensure that you increase your chances of getting interviews with a professional CV.
You have probably heard of something called Personal Branding.

2. You need a personal brand

Just to remind you, it is the art of marketing and positioning your skills and competencies in order to package yourself well for the job market.
I was never taught in school that failing to brand you can affect your job search. You need to brand yourself as an expert in your own field even when you are not. Let the potential employers believe in your abilities by just looking at your CV.

3. Having a mentor is important to your career

Do you have a mentor? If you don’t, it is time to find one. In the university, I rarely heard people talked about the importance of having a mentor. Many people wanted to finish school, work on their own and achieve their goals.
However, in the real world, I have noted that everyone needs a support system. In the course of your career, you need to find someone to guide and advise you through the journey.
A mentor is someone you admire. The one who has gone through the life you want to live. They have firsthand experience in your field and so you can learn from them.

4. Networking is good

Some have been lucky, while others are yet to see the fruits of having good networks.
You may have not been taught on how to network by networking, but we all live in a world where information is accessible anytime through social media.
Online platforms provide great professional networking without much stress. You can consider using LinkedIn or interpersonal relationships to develop networks which can connect you with opportunities.
This way, you might get a job and progress in your career.

5. Never burn bridges

If you want to live a very fulfilling life, never burn a bridge. Whatever someone has done to you, always show compassion and acknowledge that people are unique and can behave differently.
Truth is, you never know when you will need their help again.

Let me know in the comments section below.

Findings from a police investigation into the stampede that claimed the lives of 15 pupils at Kakamega Primary School have been handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions for direction.

According to Western Region Criminal Investigation Officer, Shem Nyamboki, the DPP is yet to communicate on the next cause of action.

The pupils who died in the February 3, 2020 tragic incident that shocked the nation were from Grade Four and Five.
Mr Nyamboki said the DCI was waiting for the way forward from the DPP before proceeding to act.

Detectives recorded statements from 46 pupils, 16 teachers and several other witnesses.

The police had indicated that 15 pupils who sustained injuries in the incident would be issued with P3 Forms to be duly filled by doctors.

Parents affected by the tragedy have been pushing the Ministry of Education to make public the findings of the probe.

Chairperson of the Commission on Administrative Justice Florence Kajuju visited the school with her team and faulted the manner in which the staircases on both ends of the storey building were constructed.

Ms Kajuju had blamed the Ministry of Education for the tragic incident, saying the building had two narrow staircases which could have contributed to the stampede as the classrooms on the third floor of the building had 540 pupils.

She said the classrooms were congested.

The Ministry of Education is not following up to ensure expansion of the infrastructure and teachers in learning institution to match the number of learners. The stairways on the two sides of the building are narrow and have no rails, she added.

The CAJ, known as the Office of the Ombudsman, has the mandate to investigate complaints of delays, abuse of power, unfair treatment, manifest injustice or discourtesy to tackle maladministration in the public sector.

Ms Kajuju noted that the investigation reports will determine long and short-term solutions on the status of the building.

“There should be a staircase for boys, another one for girls and a third one for the teachers to reduce commotion in the building,” recommended Ms Kajuju.