𝐓𝐒𝐂 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬

𝐓𝐒𝐂 𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬

The Chairman of the Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association-Nyanza Chapter, Elly Ondiek, has called on the Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) to prioritize promoting head teachers.

Ondiek, who spoke during the 21st Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) annual general meeting and conference for Nyanza Region held at Migori Stadium, said that nearly 90 percent of the head teachers are in Job group C5.

“The heads are managing the primary and junior secondary sections, a hefty task that needs to be appreciated yet, their remuneration remains minimal. They need to be promoted to motivate them,” explained Ondiek.

He said the head teachers should be promoted from C5 to D1 to align with the heavy work they are doing both at the primary and at the junior secondary school sections.

Ondiek also said that the conference will help them to reflect on their work, success and challenges as well as capacity build them through sessions organized by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC), Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC), Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Ministry of Education among other stakeholders.

He added that the educational reforms by stakeholders cannot reach all the heads at their workplace, and it was therefore important for them to utilise the conference to familiarize themselves with what is expected at their institutions.

He also called upon the Ministry of Education to ensure that the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS) is stable to give the heads a better and efficient system to work with.

“Majority of the heads have been finding it hard to upload learner’s information on the system, and we believe that this session will help address that, to make education even better,” said Ondiek.

He urged the Ministry of Education to ensure that funds disbursed to schools are aligned with vote heads and accompanied by a guide on money utilization to ensure prudent use of the same.

County KEPSHA Chairperson David Okelo on his part pointed out that capitation delays, was still a big challenge that keeps affecting the daily activities of the learning institutions.

He urged the Ministry of Education to consider giving the same amount of capitation given to senior schools, affirming that the head teachers are unlike previously handling two sections of primary and junior schools that need more funding.

Hussein Abraham, a head teacher from Homa bay County, said that the conference will help them sharpen their managerial skills as well as address challenges faced in their institutions.

“We are having a shortage of junior secondary school teachers, and I urge the government to employ more teachers to help us provide quality education to our children,” explained Hussein.

The event, the first to be held in Migori County, brought together about 4000 head teachers drawn from the six Counties in the Nyanza region and is set to run until 16 April.