Secondary school principals in Machakos County have asked the government to employ more teachers with new skills to teach senior secondary school students next year. These students will pursue a Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the new education system in the country.
Speaking during the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) Annual Conference, which was recently held at the Continental Hotel in Mombasa County and led by their chairman, Stephen Kavuvu, the principals revealed that the county currently lacks teachers with new skills to teach CBC students.
However, they disclosed that employing more teachers would help cope with the ever-increasing number of students in schools in the region.
The principals further said that the school learning environment is not conducive due to a lack of infrastructure.
“Students and teachers stay in old buildings which have not been rehabilitated either, and the situation has forced them to stay in structures which are in poor conditions,” stated the principals.
However, they further asked the government to provide enough funds to schools to enable them to implement school development projects more efficiently and effectively.
The principals said that the government should also provide essential learning facilities to schools in the county to enhance effective teaching and learning.
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They further decried the slow pace at which the government disburses capitation grants to schools in the region.
“School programmers in the county have come to a halt due to a lack of adequate funds,” noted the principals.
They asked the government to disburse school capitation grants early enough to enable them to operate effectively.
The Machakos County, Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) chairman, Stephen Kavuvu, revealed that teachers in the region are dedicated to their work.
Still, they are facing some challenges with infrastructure and delayed capitation grants, among other challenges that hinder smooth operations.
He also asked all education stakeholders, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Well-Wishers, Charitable Organizations, and even individuals in the county to come forward and provide physical learning facilities to schools to enhance education levels.
“Some 350 principals attended their KESSHA Annual Conference held at the Continental Hotel in Mombasa County recently,” Kavuvu stated.
While officially closing the Machakos County KESSHA Annual Conference, the Chief Guest, Machakos County Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Director Jamal Ahmed, advised principals in the region to exercise a high degree of transparency, integrity, accountability, and honesty in a bid to win trust from the people they serve.
However, he urged the principals in the region to redouble their efforts and post impressive results in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) director further asked the principals to read the TSC Code of Regulations to enable them to operate more effectively and efficiently.
“You are the Chief Executive Officers in your respective schools, and therefore, you have the responsibility of ensuring that you supervise the teachers thoroughly to ensure smooth operations,” Ahmed told the principals.
He further asked the principals to ensure that their students and teachers maintain a high standard of discipline.
The director revealed that discipline was the only key factor to success in the students’ final national examinations.
Ahmed also asked the principals to work hard and ensure the Syllabus is covered early enough to allow thorough revision in all subjects.
He further warned teachers in the region against frequent absenteeism, stating that anybody found absent from his or her working station without permission from the school administration will be dealt with accordingly.
By Tsozungu Kombe.
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