President Ruto to address over 15,000 school heads at KECSHA conference in Mombasa

President William Ruto is expected in Mombasa on Thursday to address more than 15,000 school heads attending the 2026 Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association (KECSHA) National Annual General Meeting and Conference.

The President will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the four-day gathering, where he is expected to deliver a keynote address and outline the government's direction on ongoing education reforms.

The conference, which began on Monday, November 9, at the Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Bombolulu, Nyali, has brought together primary and Junior School administrators from across the country to examine the changing demands of school management and education delivery.

KECSHA National Chairman Fuad Ali confirmed that the President had initially been scheduled to officially open the conference on Tuesday, but his appearance was rescheduled to Thursday because of changes in his diary.

Ruto's address comes at a critical time when school administrators are grappling with the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE), questions surrounding Junior School management, teacher deployment, institutional leadership and the adequacy of resources.

School heads are expected to use the opportunity to present challenges affecting the running of comprehensive schools and seek government intervention on issues requiring policy direction.

Conference focuses on school leadership and innovation

The conference is being held under the theme, Re-imagining the Comprehensive School of the Future: Strengthening Leadership, Systems, Skills and Values for Sustainable Quality Education.

Deliberations are organised around four pillars — Imagine, Lead, Innovate and Act — with particular emphasis on strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, improving school leadership and preparing learners for emerging technological demands.

A major feature of this year's meeting is the introduction of six specialised masterclasses focusing on instructional leadership, education technology, parental engagement, foundational learning, school health and financial literacy.

Education agencies, including the Kenya Education Management Institute (KEMI), Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) and Kenya Institute of Special Needs Education (KISE), are also engaging delegates on areas within their mandates.