What headteachers want: School heads lay down demands to State, TSC

Kenya Secondary Schools head teachers during Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association 46th annual conference at Sheikh Zayed hall in Mombasa. June 30, 2023. [Omondi Onyango,Standard] The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) meeting came to an end Friday, June 30, with a raft of resolutions, key among them the push to increase the capitation from Sh22,244 to Sh30,000 per student. In the resolutions read by Kessha acting Secretary Abdi Nuur, the secondary school heads said the capitation should be increased to help schools address the current inflation. They also asked the government to consider using the Auditor General to audit schools since the accounting staff in the schools do not have the required qualifications to audit school books. The principals further asked the government to come up with clear ways of identifying bright and needy learners to avoid cases where deserving students miss out on opportunities. "The process of identifying bright and needy learners for sponsorship be made foolproof to avoid denying those who deserve most," said the association. The meeting also resolved that the principals should spearhead technology advancement as an enabler of efficient and effective management of schools and curriculum delivery, through digitisation of teaching and learning materials. They urged the government to provide funds to schools to enable them to put in place measures to enhance health and safety standards in schools. The meeting resolved that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) should be consistent in the deductions and remittance of members' monthly deduction subscriptions. During the meeting, it was agreed that the government should provide TSC with funds to recruit more teachers and promote teachers. TSC should also not prolong stagnation of the teachers in one job group for many years. They also want TSC to scrap the C4 job group so that teachers can transition directly from C3 to C5, arguing the creation of the C4 job group has unfairly stopped teachers from moving upward in their quest for higher grades. The principals also resolved to work closely with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders towards a smooth transition of learners from Junior Secondary School which goes up to Grade 9 before proceeding to Senior Secondary Grade 10 to Grade 12. The principals distanced themselves from examination leakage and heaped the blame on the Kenya National Examination Council. The conference was also punctuated with Kessha chairman Indimuli Kahi delivering his final speech after serving for eight years as chairman of the association. "This is my last speech as the association's chairman. I will start handing over to my vice chairman Boniface Karisa before retiring at the end of this year so that he can start mastering the job," he said. Indimuli advised the principals against corporal punishment, warning that the Children's Act was protecting the children against some disciplinary actions which can land them in problems. He regretted that in most cases reported by the children to their parents, it was the teachers who fell victim to the law and advised the principals to appraise themselves with the laws. Members further resolved to make amendments and inclusion of some clauses of the association's constitution to confirm changes taking place in the global space. Among changes made in the constitution include the election of sub-county and regional officials, and decision-making at the local level before the annual conference. newsdesk@standardmedia.co.ke

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