Delegates follow proceedings during the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association Conference in Mombasa on November 4, 2024.
Primary school head teachers have asked the State to promote the administrators who manage the comprehensive schools (pre-primary, primary and junior school) due to the heavy responsibilities bestowed upon them.
The administrators said the creation of the comprehensive schools that are all under one board of management with a single head teacher and a deputy has come with added responsibilities.
“We’d like the Head of Public Service to comment on the appreciation of primary head teachers who have been stagnating in Job Group D1 because there’s been no policy of progressive movement. How will these teachers be appreciated? Will there be an opening where they can progress from D1 to D2? We expect this from the head of Public Service and the TSC to give us an assurance that we’ll have enough teachers in January,” said Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (Kepsha) national chairman Johnson Nzioka.
He was speaking at Sheikh Zayed Hall in Mombasa County during the Kepsha annual conference. The Head of Civil Service Felix Kosgei is expected to address the conference today and Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba.
On a bright note, the teachers said that the creation of comprehensive schools has boosted learning in public schools even as the State plans to strengthen primary-level education.
The head teachers further lauded the verification of eligibility of the current primary school heads to serve as administrators for the comprehensive schools in accordance with the junior schools' guidelines.
Kesha national secretary Irene Yiaile called for the promotion of administrators due to their expanded responsibilities related to the management of comprehensive schools.
"Recognise and promote primary school teachers and head teachers who have furthered their studies. Enhance security for learners and teachers in areas affected by insecurity. Review the current examination policy to embrace challenges facing learners," said Ms Yiaile.
The administrators asked the government to ensure the timely release of funds before the opening of schools to ease their operations.
The head teachers are in charge of managing the Free Primary Education and Free Junior School Education funds.
Over 23,000 school heads are attending the conference in Mombasa to deliberate on critical matters including the structural changes in basic education.
"We now have a 2-6-3-3-3 educational structure with two years in pre-primary, six years in primary, three in junior school and three in senior school. We appreciate the State for the recruitment of thousands of teachers, creation of comprehensive schools under one management and promotions of teachers but more needs to be done," said Ms Yiaile.
