Male students turn their backs on the teaching profession

Knec report indicates that 17,879 female candidates wrote PTE tests this year compared to 11,651 men

Fewer men compared to women are taking up the teaching profession, a report by the Kenya National Examinations Council has shown.

The report states that in the last five years, more female candidates have sat the Primary Teacher Education (PTE) examination compared to their male counterparts.

The report indicates that this year, 17,879 female candidates sat the PTE tests compared to 11,651 male candidates.

Last year, the tests were done by 13,646 female candidates and 10,402 male candidates.

In 2016, 10, 587 female candidates sat the examination compared to 8,555 male while in 2015, 10,003 candidates were female and 8,656 male.

The report adds that in 2014, 9,410 candidates were female while 7,881 were male.

PTE examination is administered to teacher trainees at certificate level at the end of a two-year course.

This means that of the more than 290,000 teachers registered by the Teachers Service Commission, the majority are women.

The report, which was released last week, indicates that public teachers training colleges have over the years continued to attract more students compared to private colleges.

The report also reveals shocking details on exam failure over the years, with a huge number of the trainees being forced to resist the tests.

Despite the colleges registering a huge number of students, the report notes that those scoring distinction are very few.

For the last five years, only 105 candidates have scored a distinction out of 109,079 trainees.

This year, out of the 29,530 candidates who sat the examination, only 21 scored a distinction compared to last year’s five candidates.

This year, 266 candidates failed the examinations, meaning they will have to repeat the year.

Another 10,457 will have to resit the examination next year compared to 12,438 candidates who failed last year. That means the candidates will have to wait until next year to do supplementary examinations.

The data for the last five years indicates that 2017 had the highest number of candidates who failed at 12, 438, 2016 had 6,267, 2015 had 4,358 while 2014 had 2,074.

This year, the Ministry of Education lowered entry grades to teacher training colleges from C to D+ in order to benefit 17 marginalised counties.

The PTE examination is examined in 14 subjects which are tested in 21 papers and teaching practice.