Parents: Transfer school principals only after three years

Head teachers from various secondary schools in the country follow proceedings during the opening of the 41st annual Kenya Secondary Schools Headteachers Association annual conference at the Mombasa Wildwaters Theme Park in Mombasa County, June 20, 2016.  [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Parents and school management boards have proposed that principals of secondary schools serve in one institution for a minimum of three years.

This means that once appointed, a secondary school head should only be transferred after the lapse of the set minimum period.

However, they want school heads to be chosen on merit and not to be members of the religion sponsoring the school.

In its recommendation, the government investigation team into school unrest wants persons seeking appointment to head schools to meet certain requirements.

"Teachers should be appointed to such positions only after successfully attending tailor-made comprehensive courses on school administration and management lasting a minimum of six months," the team said.

The Clare Omolo-led team further recommends strict enforcement of policies on the appointment and transfer of teachers and heads of institutions and without any external pressure.

The report, which has been presented to Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, further recommends that all principals of boarding schools reside in the institutions for quick decision-making.

The report says most principals do not live in schools and the reason given was that there were no houses for them.

The team found that in some cases, there were school houses but principals chose not to occupy them and instead lived outside.

"In cases where they resided in the school compound, they were absent from school most of the time, including the days of the unrest," reads the report.

It further says that many principals spent a lot of time on association activities and personal business at the expense of their core duties.

"The absence of the principals delayed decision-making in the running of schools as in most cases, authority was not delegated. It also denied them an opportunity to promptly address concerns to avert unrest," says the report.

The report proposes that teachers who engage in immoral behavior with learners be disciplined and prosecuted.