Thousands in Mombasa for annual secondary head teachers conference

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) chairperson Kahi Indimuli with other officials arrive in Mombasa on Saturday ahead of the 43rd Kessha annual conference which starts on Monday. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]

Thousands of head teachers have arrived in Mombasa for the 43rd edition of the annual Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) conference.

Education stakeholders are expected to debate on insecurity in learning institutions among other key issues affecting the sector. Kessha has about 12,000 members, mostly from public schools.

Addressing the media yesterday, Kessha national chairman Kahi Indimuli, said the week-long event will bring together 8,000 school heads and 2,000 education stakeholders.

Deputy President William Ruto will attend the opening ceremony tomorrow.

“This year’s annual event is coming at time when the issue of security in our learning institutions is on everyone’s lips after a spate of incidences in several institutions,” Mr Indimuli said.

For the third year running, Mwalimu National and Spire Bank are the main sponsors.

Other sponsors include the Mt Kenya University, Oxford University Press, National Hospital Insurance Fund, CIC Group, Isuzu; Longhorn Publishers, Kenya Literature Bureau, Safaricom, Higher Education Loans Board, Kenya Film Classification Board, DT Dobie and Scania.

Learning institutions

The official said the meeting provided a platform to discuss safety and security in learning institutions.

Indimuli said this year’s theme was Re-directing the Education Sector in Kenya.

He added that ‘delocalisation of head teachers by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC)’ was also among the issues to be discussed.

“We will discuss and interrogate various aspects of delocalisation, policies on colour of school buses, funding of school infrastructure, the 100 per cent pupil transition, national examination, grading of students and university intake programmes among others,” he said.

Indimuli said they would also deliberate on President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive that all students be insured under National Hospital Insurance Fund.