MOMBASA, Kenya — Primary school headteachers have firmly rejected a proposal by Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers to transfer the management of junior secondary institutions from primary to senior secondary schools.
Speaking during the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) annual conference in Mombasa, the association’s National Chairman Fuad Ali said the current structure — where JSS operates within primary institutions — was arrived at through broad consultations under the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform.
Ali emphasized that the existing setup has proven effective, inclusive, and stable, cautioning JSS teachers against “injecting union politics” into the daily administration of schools.
“There is no leadership vacuum in our schools,” said Ali. “Our voice and freedom are safeguarded under the current comprehensive school system. That is why we now refer to ourselves as the Kenya Comprehensive School Headteachers Association, representing all-inclusive institutions.”
He further defended the arrangement, saying the ongoing Grade 9 assessments have proceeded smoothly under the current management framework.
“If there were any issues, the Grade 9 evaluations would not have taken place successfully,” he noted. “From a management standpoint, everything is functioning well.”
The KEPSHA conference, attended by over 15,000 headteachers, comes amid growing calls by some JSS teachers to move the management of junior secondary sections to senior secondary schools — a move Ali described as unnecessary and disruptive.
Meanwhile, the conference also witnessed tense moments when several headteachers questioned Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba over his recent remarks alleging that KSh 1.1 billion had been lost through “ghost schools.”
Homa Bay headteacher Alex Siso dismissed the claims, calling them misleading.
“Surely, how can a school be called a ghost when it has a headteacher, teachers, and even security personnel?” Siso asked. “Which planet are we on?”
The KEPSHA leadership urged the Ministry of Education to work closely with school heads to resolve any data inconsistencies, instead of issuing “blanket allegations” that could undermine the credibility of school administrators.
