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Citizen Weekly

Sunday 26 April 2015

Fears as Nandi DEO is transferred

An education officer who lifted Nandi county from academic wilderness to a true giant has been transferred to Lodwar in unclear circumstances.
The transfer of Robert Onkoba, the Nandi Central DEO who had served for five years could herald the beginning of a slumber in academic performance in the county given that he was a pacesetter who succeeded where his predecessors had failed.
Despite bringing his staff under one roof and persuading Kuppet and Knut to work in harmony, the outgoing officer was a team player who set standards and instilled competition which neighbouring subcounties emulated.
The staff and union members who talked to the press expressed displeasure with the poor timing of the transfer as they feared that with his exit, education in the county could take a plunge south.
The staff termed him as a dedicated and conversant team leader who randomly visited at least two schools daily before entering office just to acquaint himself with the goings on and to make sure everything was moving smoothly.
They said that it was against the rules on transfers to take him back to Loima in Turkana county where he previously served and blamed one Masese at the ministry for orchestrating the move.
They are also concerned that the incoming, DEO Joshua Nyagah from Nakuru may not be having the necessary skills and experience to handle the duties of a DEO because he is coming to take up his first assignment after serving as a quality assurance and standards officer.  
Kuppet county secretary Paul Rotich termed his transfer as unfortunate and urged the ministry to rescind the decision until appropriate time and after looking at serious considerations.
He said that whoever came up with the ill-timed transfer was doing it out of bad faith and must be condemned by all education stakeholders in the county.
Under his stewardship, the academic performance of the county increased sharply, with the sub-county producing the best overall student in primary examination, the county produced three best teachers nationally while many schools, among them Kapsabet Boys, Kapsabet Girls, St Joseph’s Chepterit Kemeloi and Metetei High attaining significant improvement.
Stakeholders expressed fear that his untimely departure could impact negatively on the standards of education because there is an existing vacuum after three AEOs retired and are yet to be replaced while two other officer are awaiting retire this same year.
The three who are yet to be replaced are Joel Songok, formerly the AEO Kapkangani and head of infrastructure a Mr Koech while those due for exit are James Mong’o who is secondary education administrator and examination officer a one Albert.

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