Primary school head teachers want their title changed

Delayed capitation and underfunding of schools are among issues that will dominate talks during primary head teachers annual conference that starts today in Mombasa.

The head teachers will also push for employment of more tutors to bridge the gap in schools where learner population is swelling.

Further, the more than 10,000 are keen on having their title changed to that of principal in line with the comprehensive schools they head.

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According to Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) chairman Johnson Nzioka, the head teachers will agitate for enhanced pay to commensurate their responsibility of managing Junior Secondary School (JSS) domiciled in their institutions.

The head teachers will be demanding to be compensated for the period that they have acted as managers of the Junior Secondary School.

"For the last two years, we were assigned additional responsibility to head JSS. However, the government did not factor that in salary enhancement," said Nzioka.

Teachers say they are under immense pressure dealing with a high number of learners. "Schools are understaffed as we loose some teachers to natural attrition, yet students' number keeps going up," stated Nzioka. 

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia will be put to task to explain distribution of teachers in schools

"We cannot provide quality education when staff are overstretched. She (Dr Macharia) has to illustrate how we should work with the number of teachers in schools," noted Nzioka.

According to TSC in the last one year, the government has employed 57,000 teachers in JSS. However the population in schools by next year will be 3.8 million learners.

Nzioka lamented that the delayed disbursement of capitation funds has crippled operations in schools.

"The truth is that school operations are crippled with delayed capitation. The money we receive in staggered only pay accumulated debts," said the KEPSHA boss who expressed worry the problem will worsen with the addition class of Grade 9. 

The head teachers are expected to press Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to conduct a review of funds disbursed to schools. 
"The current capitation is pegged on 8-4-4 curriculum when the demand for implementing Competency Based Curriculum is very high," said Nzioka.

The teachers will also share the progress of infrastructure development in their schools ahead of the Grade 9 transition in next January.

Recently, President William Ruto stated that the government will complete construction of 17,000 classrooms by January next year. He said the government has injected Sh3.5 billion with similar funds expected from the MPs through National Government Constituencies Development Fund.

During last year’s conference, KEPSHA which celebrated 20 years of its existence and used the conference to launch the new 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.