The government has put in place policies and programmes that ensure schools achieve their intended objectives by making sure there’s no wastage in terms of resources, Makueni County Director of Education Mr. Gachugi Mureithi has stated.
Mr. Gachugi, while addressing Makueni County secondary school head teachers during this year’s Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) conference in Mombasa said it was important for the school managers to understand education policies since they help in enhancing effectiveness and efficiency in education.
On effectiveness, the Director said it referred to the ability of schools to adequately accomplish their intended objectives whereas efficiency referred to the achievement of the stated objectives at the lowest cost possible.
The policies included among others:
The 100 per cent transition policy – This is where all learners that have sat for KCPE examinations are expected to all transit to the secondary school level.
He hinted that this year, Makueni County managed to realize 99.5% transition because of a number of learners who opted to join vocational training centers instead of pursuing secondary school education.
Policies on curriculum implementation and supervision – This policy ensures that the curriculum is fully implemented and supervised as spelt out in the guidelines. Here the director said matters of staffing for instance are looked at, making sure the requirement for staffing of teachers in schools is met. The availability of adequate number of teachers in schools to ensure students receive quality services by being taught all subjects.
Time Tabling – The director emphasized that this policy was key when it came to curriculum implementation and supervision. It encourages schools to finish syllabus in good time in the course of calendar year so as students to have quality time for revisions.
Guidelines on implementation of the free day secondary school education – this he said explains all the vote head, the fees chargeable in schools, parental obligations, the need to upload learners on NEMIS among others. It spells out all the guidelines that help in the implementation of the free day secondary school education.
Registration and assessment of basic education – All learning institutions must be registered at the county education committee and assessed by the quality assurance and standards officers.
School rules and discipline procedures for students – At no time, the director warned, should students be sent home over simple grounds. He urged the school heads to be managers and administrators who assist students and not leaders who constantly look for reasons to let go students.
Schools’ maintenance and improvement – today through NEMIS he said, principals can feel an infrastructural need request form and forward it to the ministry of education through the PS. Mr. Gachugi encouraged the school heads that it was important for schools to request for the approval of maintenance and improvement vote head.
Text Book ratio – the government has provided and is constantly working in ensuring schools have books and new schools have achieved the 1:5 ratio.
School Routine – this policy spells out how schools are being managed. Does a school have a routine that supports learners’ education and encourage them to better themselves and grow academically? Does a school have a transformative culture that ensures it produces good results all round?
Other policies highlighted by the Director included the Child Protection Policy that require schools to safeguard the lives of the students, Policy on Management of National Examinations that require principals to actively help in the management of the national exams, Official School Hours Policy that explains the time and hours students are required to be in school, Guidelines on Prevention and Management of Alcohol and Substance Abuse in Basic Education Institutions that discourages the use of alcohol and substance abuse in school premises, during functions and other school activities among others.
By George Otieno
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