Coast head teachers worried about looming mass transfers
Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed. She has warned candidates against cheating in national exams. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
There are over 23,000 head teachers in primary schools and about 8,600 in secondary schools.
TSC boss Nancy Macharia has defended the process, saying it is meant to enhance national cohesion.
Since its introduction last year, the programme has seen more than 1,065 head teachers transferred.
Fear has gripped heads of secondary schools in Coast after Education Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed pitched camp in Kwale County to seek their opinion on delocalisation policy.
Some teachers, who have been heading schools in their home counties for more than five years, now fear that they might be transferred should the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) implement the policy.
The policy, implemented since last year, bars teachers from serving in their home counties.
There are over 23,000 head teachers in primary schools and about 8,600 in secondary schools. TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia has defended the process, saying it is meant to enhance national cohesion.
NATIONAL EXAMS
Since its introduction last year, the programme has seen more than 1,065 head teachers transferred.
Ms Mohamed and some education officials from Kwale County have visited some secondary schools in the county to seek teachers’ views on delocalisation policy and the national exams.
On Saturday, Ms Mohamed visited Kaya Tiwi Secondary School in Kwale to check on their preparations for KCSE exams.
During the visit, Ms Mohamed warned the candidates against exam cheating.
Kaya Tiwi Principal Robert Aran said that the CS had encouraged his students to work hard to get genuine grades in KCSE.
COMPLETED SYLLABUS
He said that the CS spent almost two hours with the candidates.
Ms Mohamed promised to address the challenges the school was facing, including shortage of teachers. The CS wished candidates sitting their examinations this year success.
Mr Aran said the candidates have prepared well for the exams, having completed the syllabus in time.
The issue of delocalisation almost disrupted term three school calendar after the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) threatened to call a nationwide strike if the exercise was not called off.
TEACHERS QUIT
It took the intervention of President Uhuru Kenyatta to have the exercise shelved.
President Kenyatta assured teachers that the policy would be reviewed to ensure it does not break up families.
According to Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, more than 100 teachers have quit the profession following the implementation of the policy.
