Cabinet Secretary for Education Mr. Ezekiel Machogu has announced that primary school head teachers will be promoted to head junior secondary schools.
Speaking to head teachers at the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) Annual General Meeting, the CS called upon the head teachers to promote accountability, inclusivity and teacher professional development.
Primary School Head Teachers had been acting as principals for students in the JSS class for the past one year. But they will now be confirmed as principals of the institution where they are domiciled. This means that the head teacher will lead both junior secondary and primary school.
Responding to Machogu’s announcement, Kenya National Union of Teachers’ Secretary General, Collins Oyuu said that the promotion of primary school heads to principals will motivate teachers who have gone for further studies.
Oyuu emphasized that head teachers have been successful in managing emerging issues in comprehensive schools.
“It is worldwide known that any additional duty or assignment for any worker must be compensated and I am glad the CS has addressed this matter,” Oyuu said.
The Secretary General also applauded the government’s decision to stop the delocalization of teachers and approving the employment of more teachers.
Mr. Machogu reiterated that the government will not increase school fees for JSS students, but school heads must ensure that the money remitted to them are properly utilized.
The CS said that Capitation funds will still be availed for JSS, but noted that it will no longer be provided in a quarterly basis. However, the monies will be remitted in a ratio of 5:3:2 for first, second, and third terms respectively.
Oyuu posited that it is also important for the capitation funding to disbursed on time to avoid inconveniences at schools.
