PhD holders Forced to teach nursery and primary schools in Kenya

NAIROBI, Kenya

Three Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduates have been forced to teach kindergarten and primary schools in Kenya due to unemployment in high schools, universities and relevant government institutions. 

Dr. John Timon Owenga, Dr. Violet Otieno and Dr. Daughty Akinyi say that they have been forced to teach primary schools despite specializing in their professions but they have not been able to get a better job or be promoted. 

Dr Owenga, 50 has a PhD degree in Educational Psychology, and Dr. Otieno graduated with a PhD degree in Kindergarten Education in 2018. The two studied at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology. A year later, Onyango Daughty Akinyi graduated with a PhD after working hard since 2003 when he was employed at P1 level to teach primary schools.

Despite the three of them using their energy, time, money and commitment to achieve the highest level of education in Kenya, they have not been able to find jobs that match their education in county governments, national government, universities or government agencies.

r Daughty, says he was hired in 2003 by the Teachers' Service Commission (TSC) to teach at Anjech Primary School, Homa Bay County before being transferred to Atela Primary School in the county. In 2013, Daughty moved to Kisumu County to teach class one at Agai Primary School, 

Nyakach sub-county. Daughty says that has been teaching in primary schools for 18 years but it is three years since he graduated. 

Dr Owenga, who is currently the deputy head teacher at Rabuor Primary School in Nyando sub-county, said his students and parents wondered why he was teaching in primary school. 

He says often being called a doctor is like a curse especially when he relates to his superiors who have lower levels of education than their own. He says that everyone knows who should be teaching where but for them, they have tried to attain higher job levels in futility.