Let us teach junior secondary, primary school teachers tell TSC

Delegates buy items during the 17th Kenya Primary Schools Headteachers Association conference at Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Over 8,000 school headteachers, yesterday resolved to push to have grades 7, 8, and 9 domiciled in primary schools, saying they had the capacity to oversee junior secondary.

After a three-day conference, Kenya Primary School Head Teachers’ Association (Kepsha) also resolved to back the proposal to convert all secondary boarding schools to day schools.

They said this would enable parents to participate in raising their children to tame cases of arson in secondary schools and improve education standards.

The proposal by the headteachers to push for Grade 7, 8, and 9 to be domiciled in primary schools, comes a day after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) appears to place a caveat on primary school teachers, who can be promoted to teach in secondary schools.

On Wednesday, TSC said only teachers who scored a mean grade of C+ in the Kenya Certificate for Secondary Examination (KCSE) would be promoted to teach in secondary schools, even if they were degree holders. 

This ordinarily blocked thousands of teachers, who scored below the C+ in the KCSE but followed the path of diploma to acquire degree and masters degrees. 

“Kepsha also proposes that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) should consider a hardship allowance to teachers when they are de-localised,” stated part of the 28-point resolutions.

The headteachers also said the government should provide desks to schools and map out schools in slums so that all bright, but needy children are assisted to go to school.

“Kepsha would engage the Ministry of Education to ensure all schools receive funds by the beginning of the term and increase the capitation,” said Kepsha National Secretary Philip Mitei.

Mutei, who read the resolutions yesterday after the end of the conference at Mombasa’s Sheikh Zayed Children Centre, said the teachers agreed to ensure that textbooks in every new grade were delivered before the child transits to a new grade.

Meanwhile, TSC Chairman Jamleck Muturi yesterday said most retired teachers had not received their benefits because their files were missing at the ministry.

TSC Chairman Jamleck Muturi. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

Addressing the over 8,000 headteachers in Mombasa, Dr Muturi said the commission would roll out teachers’ bio-metric system to capture and digitise the teachers’ data for effective delivery of service.

He said the commission was pursuing strategies to build professional services adding that already an online training on CBC for teachers was going on.

Muturi said TSC would automate its recruitment, transfer, registration and leaves process.

He said a teacher management information management system (TMIS) has been installed.

“We are also hearing the disciplinary cases virtually to dispense cases quickly,” he said.

“In order for you to lead effectively as the engines of education in the country, you cannot be rigid because knowledge is not a monopoly of an individual,” said Muturi.

The headteachers resolved to continue supporting CBC system, which has been initiated by the government to replace the 8-4-4 system.

The headteachers supported Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu who proposed that all schools in the country should be made day school.

On Tuesday, Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha promised the headteachers that funds will be released to schools next week when the schools open.

He also asked the teachers to ensure that every child receives better education without being left behind on account of poverty.

“We will ensure there is 100 per cent transition of learners from primary to secondary to enable every child to have an opportunity of developing his or her potential,” said Mitei.

The conference resolved to also encourage essay writing competition for learners.