Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has said the process to promote teachers who have stagnated in the same grade has started.

Machogu noted that among those to be promoted are primary school head teachers to the principal level, given that the Junior Secondary schools are domiciled in their institutions.

“All P1 teachers heading primary schools will be promoted from grade C3 and above as principals of Junior Secondary Schools,” he said.

Addressing the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) conference in Mombasa, on Wednesday, during their 20th anniversary, the CS said most of the head teachers in primary schools are graduates who deserve promotion.

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He commended head teachers who have PhD in various education fields and asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to promote them as they had proved they were competent enough to do other jobs.

Machogu said this after Kepsha Chairman Johnson Nzioka paraded the head teachers who have been at the helm of various schools for many years.

“I want officials in my Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission to make sure these teachers with PhD are given jobs such as quality assurance, which the government has been looking for,” he said.

The CS, who was accompanied by Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang, warned high school principals against increasing school fees.

The event was also attended by TSC chairman Jamleck Muturi and Konza University Vice Chancellor Elijah Omwenga.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Collins Oyuu welcomed the CS’s call for promotion terming it a big win for the primary head teachers.

“I want to commend CS of Education for recognizing that the head teachers of these schools are all qualified because most of them are graduates,” said Oyuu.

“I wish to state that whoever thinks that the head teacher of a primary school does not hold a degree is wrong because we have PhD holders manning various schools in the country,” he added.

He concurred with members of the Education Committee who had commended primary school teachers for not abetting cheating in national examinations, unlike some of their counterparts in high schools who had been cited for such vice.

Oyuu said the head teachers of primary schools have been playing a big role in ensuring there was no cheating in the Kenya Certificate for Primary Examination (KCPE).

Bottom of Form

He thanked the government for taking the teachers back to their home district and proposed that all headteachers who will be promoted should not be transferred to other counties.

The union boss concurred with Machogu that school fees should not be increased. He defended the head teachers against accusations of increasing the fees and pointed out that the school boards were to blame for the arbitrary increase of school fees, in some schools.

“No single principal can increase the school fees without the board members’ approval, and that is why the board members and not the principals are to blame,” said Oyuu.

Prof Omwenga asked the teachers to take advantage of Open University, which had programes for those who have not attained minimum qualification for joining local universities, which want only applicants with C plus and above.

“We have a flexible entrance qualification programme for the teachers who have no entrance requirement of the local universities,” he said.

The primary school headteachers meeting in Mombasa have urged the National government to confirm them as principals of the Junior Secondary Schools under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms, which was being chaired by Prof Raphael Munavu, had in its 300-page report recommended a comprehensive school system with Pre-primary to Grade 9 managed as one institution headed by one head of the institution and two deputies.

The task force had also recommended that JSS (Grades 7,8 and 9) should be domiciled in primary schools.

For the whole of this year, primary school heads have been acting as principals for students who have transitioned to Grade 7. However, they are yet to be confirmed.

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The Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (Kepsha) national chairperson Johnson Nzioka on Tuesday said they should be confirmed as the JSS principals.

“Our request to the Cabinet Secretary (Education) is just one: to have the current primary school headteachers confirmed as principals of junior school,” Nzioka said.

He added, “considering that we have served in this position through the interim transition period, and have therefore amassed the necessary expertise to steer the full transition to a Comprehensive School, from stand-alone pre-primary, primary and Junior secondary schools.”

He was speaking during the official opening of the 20th Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (Kepsha) annual delegates conference at Sheikh Zayed Hall in Mombasa.

Over 10,000 school heads are meeting in Mombasa, with the Education CS Ezekiel Machogu expected to officially open the conference on Wednesday.

Nzioka argued that a comprehensive school set-up offers a seamless transition from pre-primary to primary and Junior Secondary levels.

“This continuity can enhance the quality of learning experiences and facilitate a smoother change-over academically,” he said.

The Kepsha national chairperson said a single leadership may allow for more consistent management and coordination across the levels, ensuring alignment in school policies, curriculum programmes and teaching methods.

He said this will also consolidate resources across the levels and allow for the sharing of facilities, staff and instructional materials, enhancing cost savings and efficient resource allocation in the long run.

“Teachers and administrators across the levels can collaborate more closely, sharing best practices and collectively working towards common educational goals,” he said.

However, the Kepsha boss said several challenges might arise from managing a Comprehensive School set-up, therefore, there is a need for stakeholders’ collaboration.

“There will be likely increased complexity in managing Comprehensive School set-up due to the diverse needs and developmental stages of learners across pre-primary- JSS,” he said.

He said there would be a heavier administrative workload that calls for enhanced coordination among various stakeholders and addressing the unique issues at each level.

He added balancing resources and priorities between the different levels while ensuring that each level receives adequate attention and resources may be an ongoing challenge to deal with.

Nzioka urged the Ministry of Education, relevant government authorities, Kepsha, private sector organisations, education stakeholders, partners, and trade unions to work together to address several critical issues.

He urged the government to ensure equitable school resource allocation, and professional development for school leaders, staff, parents and stakeholders.

He also asked stakeholders to support programmes for learners, including school meals, chaplaincy, guidance and counselling, and mentoring.

At the same time, Nzioka said there is an opportunity for Kepsha to scale up the capacity building to enhance the leadership skills and competencies of headteachers, school staff and parents, to address the evolving educational landscape.

He said they can also provide the requisite support to enable the Comprehensive School Leadership (across the levels), and foster a positive and supportive school culture that promotes learners’ well-being, staff morale, and academic achievements.

“We can also provide resources, training, and guidance to our members, including promoting best practices, and advocating for policies that support innovations across the issues highlighted,” he said.

Primary school heads in the country now want the government to review upwards capitation funds given to pupils on the premise that they are inadequate.

The Kenya Primary School Heads Association(KEPSHA)chairman,Johnson Nzioka,said many primary schools were experiencing difficulties in terms of operations due to the limited funds given by the government.

Mr Nzioka noted that the Sh1000 to each pupil was extremely low.

The chairman was speaking at Nyamasaria Primary School in Kisumu East Sub County during their Eastern region annual KEPSHA meeting.

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Nzioka said the least amount which could have been given by the government is Sh4,500 but rated an ideal figure at Sh8,300.

Saying free education is untenable the world over,the chairman felt there was need to look into the mental well being of teachers.

He divulged that they have already entered into an agreement with the Chiromo Group of Hospitals,in which the health institution will help them train teachers on psychiatric issues.

Nzioka said teachers who have been trained will later escalate the same to the lowest levels.

He said many teachers were silently undergoing psychiatric problems,with dire consequences looming large.

Nzioka said primary schools are ready to implement the competence-based curriculum (CBC) in addition to embracing Teachers Professional Development (TPD).

The chairman urged school heads to collaborate with teachers and stakeholders in order to uplift their performances.

Nzioka restated that good performance required collaboration interfaced with with a lot of dialogue.

“You should make sure that you understand the needs and problems of your staff members,”he said.

Kisumu East Kenya national Union of Teachers executive secretary David Obuon said they will cooperate with school heads at all levels, nating schools heads and KNUT members complement one another at the end of the day.

Over 8,000 school headteachers who had a headteachers’ conference in Mombasa ended the conference by resolving for a push to have grades 7, 8, and 9 under CBC domiciled in primary schools. Their argument was that they had the capacity to oversee junior secondary. They went further and begged the teachers service commission, TSC, to allow them teach junior secondary schools as their high school counterparts teach senior secondary, arguing that they have all it takes to handle high school students.

The proposal by the headteachers to push for Grade 7, 8, and 9 to be domiciled in primary schools, comes a day after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) appears to place a caveat on primary school teachers, who can be promoted to teach in secondary schools.

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After a three-day conference, Kenya Primary School Head Teachers’ Association (Kepsha) also resolved to back the proposal to convert all secondary boarding schools to day schools.

They said this would enable parents to participate in raising their children to tame cases of arson in secondary schools and improve education standards.

TSC had on Wednesday said that only teachers who scored a mean grade of C+ in the Kenya Certificate for Secondary Examination (KCSE) would be promoted to teach in secondary schools, even if they were degree holders.

This ordinarily blocked thousands of teachers, who scored below the C+ in the KCSE but followed the path of diploma to acquire degree and master’s degrees.

The headteachers resolved to continue supporting CBC system, which has been initiated by the government to replace the 8-4-4 system.

The headteachers supported Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu who proposed that all schools in the country should be made day school.

The 16th Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (KEPSHA) annual delegates’ conference has been scheduled on December 27^th , following the lifting and relaxation of Covid-19 containment measures.

KEPSHA chairman Johnson Nzioka on Friday revealed that the heads will hold the meeting at Sheikh Zayed grounds in Mombasa.

Though Nzioka said the agenda of the meeting will be revealed later, a section of teachers opine that challenges facing the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) will be the main agenda.

Nzioka said the date of the four-day event was reached during a meeting at KEPSHA headquarters in Nairobi.

“We are currently working on the programme, which will cover the four-day event and release as soon as possible,” he said.

Nzioka said the event’s theme is Headteachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future.

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The meetings, which are usually held in the morning, leave the over 10,000 heads with a whole afternoon to walk on the sandy beaches, sightseeing and swimming in the Indian Ocean.

Last year, a similar meeting was not held due to covid-19 pandemic, which forced the government to stop public gatherings and put restrictions on the movement of persons, including lockdowns to curb the spread of the pandemic.

Nzioka yesterday promised to issue details on how the conference will be held but assured the government that the forum will adhere to health protocols from the Ministry of Health.

The association held its last annual delegates conference in 2019 before the outbreak of the deadly disease.

More than 7,000 members of the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) also held their annual conference at the Kenya School of Revenue Administration (KSRA) located near the Sheikh Zayed centre.

Among the new HIV infections released by the government today, Children of school-going age have the highest statitistics.  Young girls are the most affected victims.

This year The National Aids Control Council (NACC) has recorded 21,404 new HIV among school going children, statistics that exceed half of the total number of new infections recorded in the whole country.

Cumulatively, NACC data shows that a total 41,728 new HIV cases were recorded this year, 25,062 of them being female and 16,666 male.

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Those aged 15 years and above recorded 34,610 new infections, with 6,806 cases documented among children aged 14 years or below.

Kisumu, Nairobi, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Nakuru, Mombasa, Kisii, Kakamega and Kiambu are the top 10 counties with the highest numbers of new infections this year.

Finer details reveal that among school-going age brackets, 6,247 new infections were recorded among children aged 15-19 years. Of these new infections, 5,254 are girls and 993 boys. Majority in this age bracket are children in primary and secondary schools.

Additionally, 8,191 new HIV infections were recorded among youth aged 20-24 years. 5,166 of these are girls, while 3,014 are boys, mostly in universities and colleges.

For those aged between 25 and 29, a total 6,976 new HIV infections were reported. Of these, 3,911 are girls and another 3,065 boys.

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Children who join schools in Standard One aged between five and six are expected to sit KCPE after eight years aged between 13 and 14. They are further expected to pursue secondary education between ages 15 and 18.Age 19 to 23, these children should be in universities and colleges pursuing various courses. At between ages 24 and 29, they should be employees and entrepreneurs, yet most of that age group are already Victims of HIV.

Only 12,923 new infections were recorded among Kenyans of ages 30 to 60 and 593 among Kenyans aged between 61 and 79. The new HIV infections in the age brackets of schoolchildren but also creating hopelessness among parents, who are determined to see their children serving the country in various capacities in future. The new cases are projected to rise further due to prolonged school closures.

According to Heads in primary and secondary schools, civic education and sensitization initiatives on HIV have greatly reduced in most institutions.

“Generally Kenyans dropped their guard and thought that this disease had subsided, and this has led to many new infections rising among children,” said Kahi Indimuli, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association national chairman.

“Parents seem to have left everything to teachers and this has exposed the children to these infections,” added Mr. Indimuli.

Education activist Muthoni Ouko, however, said the stay at home had been long, noting that this might have contributed to a big part of the infections.

“Parents have to work to fend for their families and in the process, they may not always monitor their children’s movements and this is the lapse that leads to infections and social ills,” said Muthoni.

Kenya Primary School Head Teachers Association Chairman Nicholas Gathemia blamed the cases on little or no guiding and counseling sessions at home.

“Children are spending more time at home now and so if some schools also relax the practice, then children are exposed,” said Mr. Gathemia.

National Parents Association Chair Nicholas Maiyo said parents might have abdicated their roles, but added that the prolonged school closure could have also contributed to most infections.

The Ministry Of Education and the Teacher’s Service Commission are deeply troubled as they try to devise a mechanism that schools will apply to recover a whole academic year. The schools are not spared either since the heads and tutors are in the same mess.

This awkward situation is as a result of the spiking cases of covid-19, which have caused an extension of school reopening dates for most classes. Currently, only grade 4, standard 8 and form four learners are in school.

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Education stake holders have proposed reduction in lesson periods and class work, and extension of the learning weeks,  as some of the options that schools can apply to recover the 2020 academic year.

The Magoha task force has also proposed elimination of summative assessment and adoption of formative assessment.  The task force argues that summative assessment, which relies on school based exams, consumes not less than two weeks every term. Should a formative assessment be adopted, the two weeks can be saved for extensive syllabus coverage.

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KEPSHA and KESSHA have jointly proposed synchronization of first term and second term work, ahead of the January 2021 reopening to ease syllabus coverage.

“We can reduce weekend and holiday breaks and adopt crash learning programmes,” suggested Nicholas Gathemia, the National KEPSHA chairman.

Gathemia strongly advocates for adjustment of school reporting time (for teachers and students), and adjustment of the duration of each lesson. In his suggestion, lessons should start an hour earlier and end an hour later. Should his suggestion be adopted, schools will begin lessons at 7.00 AM and end after 5:00 PM. This would demand that both staff and students must arrive in school by latest 6:30 AM.

National KESSHA chairman Kahi Indimuli, was for the idea of reviewing lesson durations to increase the number of lessons in a day. He suggested that lesson duration be reduced from 40 minutes to 30 minutes. To ensure more time recovery, Indimuli also suggested that subject choices be made in form two, instead of form three so that learners don’t strain so much with what they will eventually drop.

In his own wisdom, KUPPET secretary general, Akello Misori, felt that the ministry should increase school days from 5 days in a week to 7 days to create more study time. His suggestion would see teachers and students going to school from Monday to Sunday. “A week may not be five days. Ways must be found to utilize weekends and holidays, or half term breaks reduced,” suggested Misori.

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The ministry of education is yet to roll out a rigorous academic programme, which will compress two terms in 4 months, so as to avoid delays in transition. After KCSE and KCPE exams, a fresh school calendar will start in June.

Akello Misori wants some topics to be eliminated so that only essential ones are covered. “We may not teach everything. We just need to teach critical areas that are measurable and have impact on learning and progression,” Said the KUPPET boss.

The teachers in the task force felt that what ought to have been covered in the lost terms could be carried forward to the next class, a suggestion that the Kenya institute for curriculum development,  (KICD), rejected instantly, arguing that the curriculum must be fully covered.

KICD director, Charles Ongondo said, “We break curriculum coverage down to per week and innovative ways can be found to cover more work without reducing content.” His argument was that learning is a continuity thing and everything the learner learns in the present class is very critical for continuity in the next class.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Chairman, Mr. Kahi Indimuli has reported that Covid-19 no longer scares learners. The heads association boss noted that learners only follow covid-19 protocols when they see a teacher nearby.

His KEPSHA counterpart, Nicholas Gathemia, has agreed with his sentiments, saying that teachers have a tiresome task of enforcing the Covid-19 safety protocols among careless learners, who have so far dropped their guard.

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According to the heads’ associations, students are back to their normal school lives, barely one month after the partial reopening of schools. Learners are even seen crowding at market places, football joints and village football tournaments, yet they cannot fear being infected in schools.

This comes a few days after President Kenyatta issued a state directive, ordering all learners who are currently at home to stay home till January 2021.

Education cabinet secretary, George Magoha had earlier on expressed his fears over the spiking covid -19 cases. “Yes, Covid is spiking and it is not only in this country. What we are grappling with is whether to open for the other children or not.”

Indimuli informed, “Most learners are not wearing face masks, they do not care so much about proper use and hygiene of the masks and they also do not wash hands as frequently as it were before and this is a new challenge in schools,”

“These learners now think that after slightly above two weeks in school without any infections they are now good to go and can overlook some guidelines,” said Indimuli. He expressed his embarrassment with learners, who have abruptly retreated to the old normal and no longer even apply the social distancing rules.

Learners in boarding schools not only disobey the social distance rules in their dormitories, but also in their classrooms and dining halls.

“In the absence of teachers, these learners just interact as if it is back to normal,” a school head noted.

As per Gathemia’s statement, schools have not received mitigation measures to handle covid-19 challenges. He noted that teachers lack adequate sensitization on management of covid -19 in schools. “This poses a high risk to the teacher, parents and learners daily,” he added.

However, the two heads associations felt that reclosing schools will increase the risk of community transmissions of covid-19.