Vice Chancellor of Kabarak University Prof. Dankit Nasiuma

 The Vice Chancellor of Kabarak University Prof. Dankit Nasiuma has blamed bad political leadership as the major problem affecting development in Bungoma County.

Nasiuma said despite the county having enormous resources poverty levels remain high because of lack of commitment on the part of political leaders to initiate development programs to benefit the locals.

Speaking in Chesamisi Boys High School during the Kimilili district education day, he said there is need for development in the county saying this can only be achieved through offering quality education to the youth.

Nasiuma noted that Friends School Kamusinga is setting the pace in Western Kenya in terms of good performance owing to high level of discipline amongst the students and commitment on the part of parents and teachers.

“It is only in Kamusinga that you find teachers working past mid night to guide, correct and assist students register good results, and the parents are also very supportive,’’ he challenged.

Prof. Nasiuma challenged parents that by investing minimal in the education of their children they should expect minimal results from them and vice versa.

He said quality education not only demands for quality education but commitment on the part of teachers, parents and all stakeholders in the education sector.

Nasiuma said time was ripe for residents of Bungoma County to embrace the knowledge economy and see knowledge as a resource and inheritance to the future generation.

The educationist said in the 1970’s and 80’s, majority of lecturers in all universities in the country came from Bungoma County while pointing out that this is not the case today.

“We need to go back to the drawing board and establish where we went wrong because this county has great potential in the education sector,’’ Nasiuma urged. 

Prof. Nasiuma challenged parents to shun away from retrogressive cultural practices and beliefs and invest heavily in the education of their children up to higher institutions of learning.

He said in the current level of education advancement, the form four certificates is not enough and that the country is moving in an error where a first university degree and even masters will be irrelevant.

The Kabarak University Vice Chancellor said the big challenge affecting the education sector in the country is the issue of integrity and honesty.

He said the ministry of education should in build within the curriculum programs concerning honesty, integrity and values.

Further he noted that monitoring and evaluation should be a continuous process in schools to give a chance for schools to be able to set targets.

“As a district you should set mechanisms to monitor on a continuous basis not just after results only,’’ he said.  

He said Bungoma County as diverse as it is there is need for a sense of unity to pool together as a team in diversity and initiate development programs saying cohesion and integration should begin from within before going out.

Prof. Nasiuma challenged residents to rise above tribes and learn to understand other people saying all communities have both good and bad people and that they have an opportunity to integrate with those who are good at all levels of development.

He said there is a 90 percent prevalence rate on dependency on free things amongst the residents of western region saying residents should put away the syndrome  you have the capacity to work hard and develop without depending on politicians.