MOMBASA, Kenya – Primary school administrators are urging the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to establish promotion pathways for headteachers managing comprehensive schools, citing an increase in responsibilities due to recent educational reforms.
Speaking at the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (KEPSHA) annual general conference in Mombasa, KEPSHA National Chairperson Johnson Nzioka highlighted the need for promotion policies for primary school heads who now oversee multiple educational levels.
The roll-out of the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) has placed the management of junior secondary, pre-primary, and primary school students under the jurisdiction of primary school administrators, adding layers of accountability and oversight.
“The new role of managing Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) has significantly expanded our responsibilities,” Nzioka stated. “Headteachers have stagnated at Job Group D1 without a policy for career progression. We need assurance from the TSC and the Head of the Public Service on this issue of stagnation so that dedicated teachers can progress to Group D2 and beyond.”
The call for structured promotion pathways aligns with concerns about the sustainability of the current system.
According to KEPSHA, comprehensive schools are now governed by single boards with one headteacher managing operations across all levels, placing heightened expectations on primary school administrators who also manage Free Primary Education and Free Junior Secondary Education funding nationwide.
Over 23,000 primary school heads have gathered in Mombasa to address challenges arising from these structural changes.
Attending officials include Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, and TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, who are expected to address delegates on how the government plans to support primary heads under the new system.
Meanwhile, the government is racing to accommodate Grade 9 pupils, expected to join primary schools in January 2025 following a shift away from earlier plans to integrate them into secondary institutions.
President William Ruto recently confirmed that over 11,000 classrooms will be built in public primary schools by year-end, with the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) supporting the effort.
Primary school heads, as secretaries to the boards of management for comprehensive schools, will see their responsibilities grow further with the upcoming inclusion of Grade 9 students.
Speaking at the Kenya Primary Schools Heads Association (KEPSHA) annual general conference in Mombasa, KEPSHA National Chairperson Johnson Nzioka highlighted the need for promotion policies for primary school heads who now oversee multiple educational levels.
The roll-out of the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) has placed the management of junior secondary, pre-primary, and primary school students under the jurisdiction of primary school administrators, adding layers of accountability and oversight.
“The new role of managing Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) has significantly expanded our responsibilities,” Nzioka stated. “Headteachers have stagnated at Job Group D1 without a policy for career progression. We need assurance from the TSC and the Head of the Public Service on this issue of stagnation so that dedicated teachers can progress to Group D2 and beyond.”
The call for structured promotion pathways aligns with concerns about the sustainability of the current system.
According to KEPSHA, comprehensive schools are now governed by single boards with one headteacher managing operations across all levels, placing heightened expectations on primary school administrators who also manage Free Primary Education and Free Junior Secondary Education funding nationwide.
Over 23,000 primary school heads have gathered in Mombasa to address challenges arising from these structural changes.
Attending officials include Head of the Public Service Felix Koskei, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, and TSC CEO Nancy Macharia, who are expected to address delegates on how the government plans to support primary heads under the new system.
Meanwhile, the government is racing to accommodate Grade 9 pupils, expected to join primary schools in January 2025 following a shift away from earlier plans to integrate them into secondary institutions.
President William Ruto recently confirmed that over 11,000 classrooms will be built in public primary schools by year-end, with the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) supporting the effort.
Primary school heads, as secretaries to the boards of management for comprehensive schools, will see their responsibilities grow further with the upcoming inclusion of Grade 9 students.
