Why heading school could lead you to early grave

After nurses, doctors and police officers, public secondary school principals are the most stressed professionals in the country, a forum was told Wednesday.

Delegates attending the annual Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha) conference in Mombasa were told that principals were so demoralised, despised, frustrated and ridiculed that a staggering 40 to 45 per cent of them suffered ill health.

Dr Ken Otieno, an Education Psychology lecturer at Masinde Muliro University, made the remarks while giving a presentation on stress management to the more than 6,000 participants at Wild Waters Centre, Mombasa.

He said the findings were from a 2012 research by graduate students from Kenyatta and Masinde Muliro universities on the causes of stress in public secondary school principals.

Being quarrelsome

His presentation came only two days after Kessha chairman John Awiti asked principals to follow keenly the presentation on stress management as data reaching the association showed that 67 per cent of them were dying of stress-related complications.

“The research showed that 52 per cent of principals in Kenya experience high levels of stress,” said Dr Otieno.

He advised principals to watch out for symptoms such as rudeness directed to other people through actions and statements, very dry lips, being quarrelsome, irritability and a sudden increase or decrease in weight.

Other symptoms include not taking care of one’s appearance, loss of appetite, low libido, excessive alcohol intake, irregular menses, loss of memory and suicidal thoughts.

Soothing music

Some of the things that contribute to principals’ stress include poor national examination results, unaccomplished goals, pressure from various stakeholders demanding delivery in academic and non-academic work and lack of funds for projects.

He advised headteachers to accept that they were stressed whenever they noticed the signs as the first step in fighting it.

They should set clear and achievable goals, eat well, have regular exercises, relax and always think positively.

He also urged them to change their environment whenever they feel under pressure, pray, listen to soothing music and drink plenty of water.

Meanwhile, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) chief executive, Mr Gabriel Lengoiboni, is expected to address the conference today on teacher management.

Kenya Red Cross secretary-general Abbas Gullet will speak on health and safety in learning Institutions.