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TRANSFORMING EDUCATION SECTOR

It is therefore misleading to hear stakeholders in education sector behaving like pharisees. Instead of focusing on their failures as components of the entire education system they pile all failures on teachers. Bravo Cabinet secretary, you have brought in new principle " check the peck in your own eyes before seeing the log in the teachers' eyes" Parents, Government officers, politicians, educationists, activist and journalists who offer subjective opinions in the media for personal gain by painting teaching profession negatively must admit their contributions in the failures witnessed in education sector in Kenya.

Education sector is like a system with many parts or subsystems. In a system if one part or subsystem fails even the most effective part is affected. To bring sanity in education in Kenya the entire system need an overhaul. shifting blames only procrastinates the efforts of finding long lasting remedies to the challenges willing education sector. It requires solomonic wisdom to know that success is always in the hands of those who provide solutions not critism.

Dr matiangi has proved the words of John Maxwell that " Everything rises and falls on leadership" leadership is not a "POSITION" but "INFLUENCE" Anyone who has a desire to be successful or make a positive impact in this world must aspire to be a person of influence. 98% of the leaders in education sector have been in their current positions sustaining the status quo of a rotten education system. John F Kennedy once said " Conformity is the jailor of freedom and the enemy of growth" The cabinet secretary has refused to conform to a manipulated education sector. Effective leaders change the status quo. I listened to the TSC chief executive Mrs Macharia reading a letter from a classroom teacher on frustrations teacher go through when ecxecuting their professional duties. They teacher was blaming the education system as a major source of teachers frustrations but at the same time appreciating new Matiangi reforms.

Leaders in education sector and entire country must emulate Dr Matiangi leadership. He is a team player and consults stakeholder before making any decision. He listens and interacts with all stakeholders in education and seeks good of everyone. He is an example of the changes he want to see. All have witnessed him going through out the country visiting schools, supervising adminstration and marking of national exams. According to Albert Schweitzer " Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing"

Dr Matiangi is a teacher by training. He has proved that it is possible to have an inspirational teacher in Kenya. The solutions to the challenges facing our schools are with the teachers as professionals. You can not appoint a civilian to command trained soldier in war and expect victory. One time Napoleon a great leaders in France who led the revolution to change the system of governance said "Soldiers rarely have problems, the problems are with generals" This is very true the government changed the general commander in eduction sector and drastic revolution is being achieved.

A professional teaching certificate does not make one professional in the true sense of the. Word. Belonging to a particular profession does not automatically guarantee that the service you provide is a professional one. Hence, teaching as a profession is a hard thing to do because it encompasses many roles to be done well. It takes efforts to find out how one can standout as a true professional in teaching. The day Kenyans shall realize that teaching is a great gift and power to change lives, is the day more inspirational teachers like Matiangi shall be born.

Teachers are human beings like anyone else. No one understand the stresses of working in a messy educational sector and with young people with attitudinal and behaviour problems like a practising teacher. However, despite the negative comments made about teachers, they need to be strong as professionals and focus on restoring the lost glory of teaching. Teachers should keep smile on their faces when things are tough to be able to see the bright side of things. With. Dr Matiangi reforms teaching will be a profession worth respect. As loyal soldiers teachers must stand firm with the Cabinet secretary to bring back the lost glory of education in Kenya. No one can do it better than educationists who are teachers.