Anxious primary, secondary school heads wait to know fate

Anxiety has gripped primary and secondary school heads after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on Tuesday announced countrywide transfers.

On Wednesday, several head teachers were anxiously waiting to know their fate.

However, TSC county officials said they are yet to receive any transfer letters from the headquarters.

"In Mombasa, we are yet to receive transfer letters, we are still waiting. But transfer is a ritual, every December transfers are made; its part of our work," Mombasa TSC boss Boniface Okumu said.

His counterparts in other counties similarly said they had not received transfer letters.

FULL LIST

In Kisii and Nyamira, county directors said they were yet to get the full list of the schools and teachers affected.

Kisii TSC director Nimrod Kimanthi said he will give the full list of those affected today.

“Some teachers are still receiving letters. We don't want them to learn their fate in the press," said Kimanthi.

A TSC official said some schools will have new heads after the current bosses attained the official retirement age.

In Nyamira, TSC boss Laban Olendo said the compilation of the list was ongoing.

RECEIVE LETTERS

In Vihiga, TSC county director Irene Njogu said she was yet to receive letters of teachers affected by the mass transfer.

"Someone is in Nairobi picking the letters. I will be able to know the affected head teachers by Friday," said Ms Njogu.

She spoke as the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), Vihiga branch executive secretary, Mr Maurice Chalenga, said he had been informed by a TSC official in Nairobi that 100 head teachers from the county have been affected.

But he noted that he was yet to establish who they were even as the union protested the action.

"Our secretary-general Wilson Sossion has called for a strike on January 2. We are ready for it," he added.

SUPPORT INITIATIVE

Ms Njogu said she believes head teachers and the community will support the initiative being taken by TSC on transfers.

In Kakamega, head teachers were waiting for communication on the transfers.

Area TSC county director Raphael Tarus said he had not received any communication on the matter from his bosses.

“We have read about the transfers only in the media and so far there has been no communication to us,” said Mr Tarus.

TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said the transfers had been effected following the retirement of head teachers and principals who attained the mandatory age in the last three months leading to vacancies.

STRENGTHEN MANAGEMENT

“As a result, deputy heads who are qualified and have exemplary performance records have been promoted to headship positions and transferred accordingly.

“Inevitably, some of the serving heads have also been transferred to take the positions that fell vacant. This is necessary to match performance and experience to the enrolment and level of the institutions,” said Mrs Macharia.

She added that the changes had also been necessitated by the need to strengthen management of some of the learning institutions following recommendations from standards and assessment reports.

“In line with the policy on appointment of institutional administrators, some principals and head teachers who have served for a long period in the same institution have been transferred.

VAST EXPERIENCE

“It is intended that the transfer will provide them with a new working environment and also tap into their vast experience,” she explained.

She added that in the course of the year, some heads of institutions had applied to be transferred to new stations.

“Such applications are normally considered at the end of the year to avoid unnecessary disruption in curriculum delivery, and after necessary replacements have been made,” she added.

Reporting by Benson Amadala, Derick Luvega, Winnie Atieno, Magati Obebo and Ouma Wanzala