Among their concerns are free secondary education, new 2-6-3-3 education curriculum

Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) national secretary David Mavuta (left) in a jovial mood with the national chairman Shem Ndolo (right) before they addressed journalists at Sheikh Zayed Hall where the annual conference will be held, December 03, 2017. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

More than 10,000 primary school heads begin their annual conference in Mombasa today.

Among their concerns are free secondary education and the new 2-6-3-3 education curriculum set to come into effect next year.

Head teachers said they were concerned about school infrastructure, books, and capacity building for teachers to implement education reforms.

Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association National Chairman Shem Ndolo said they expected Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Teachers Services Commission Chairperson Lydia Nzomo and Secretary Nancy Macharia, as well as Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Director Julius Jwan to address the issues during the conference.

Buses ferrying school heads from across the country on Sunday began arriving in Mombasa ahead of the week-long event. Ndolo said staffing was still a major challenge as more children were expected to transit from primary to secondary institutions next year.

“Implementation of the new curriculum, books, school infrastructure, and capacity building for teachers to handle the reforms remain major concerns. Preparedness is still an issue and we want it addressed,” Ndolo said in Mombasa.

The 13th Annual Delegates Conference dubbed ‘Re-engineering the Teaching Profession in the 21st Century for Effective Curriculum Reforms’ will be held at the Sheikh Zayed Children’s Centre hall and will end on December 7.

Ndolo was flanked by Secretary David Mavuta, Treasurer Josphat Otiende, and James Macharia of Joytown School for the Physically Challenged in Thika. 

Mr Macharia said the new curriculum provides for progression for the physically challenged, who can now go to university as learners are offered assistance and more time.

Ndolo noted that teachers did not want the new education system to be implemented in a haphazard manner, the way 8-4-4 was.

Elsewhere, teachers will this week begin training for the new 2-6-3-3 education curriculum set to take effect from January.

More than 160,000 teachers from both public and private primary schools across the country will undertake the training to ensure the current 8-4-4 system is phased out when schools re-open next year.

The State had earlier indicated the training would start after the release of national examination results.

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam results have already been released.

Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Director Julius Jwan dismissed fears the country was not prepared for the curriculum change, saying mentorship has been ongoing.

“We will induct teachers up to the closest time to the implementation of the new curriculum,” said Dr Jwan.