A glimmer of hope hovers over 3,000 school heads serving in acting capacities as Teachers Service Commission (TSC) reveals that negotiations with Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to compensate them have concluded, paving way for a special duty allowance for them.
Appearing before the Education Committee in the National Assembly, TSC CEO said a total of 3,359 schools currently lack a substantive head, according to data from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER).
Of these, 1,918 are primary schools without a head teacher, and 1,441 secondary schools without a principal.
Beyond the special allowance, acting school heads are poised to gain advantage in the impending teacher promotion exercise.
TSC disclosed that they will receive higher marks in the competition for substantive positions due to the scarcity of qualified teachers for leadership roles.
CEO Dr Nancy Macharia attributed the prevalence of acting administrators to challenges in registering new schools.
“While the government establishes new schools, a lack of budget for teacher promotions to head these institutions compels the deployment of acting administrators,” she said.
In response to the promotion crisis, TSC advertised 36,505 vacancies for promotions in November, allocating Ksh1 billion for this purpose.
However, the uptake among teachers has been low, with Macharia acknowledging difficulties in attracting sufficient applicants despite relaxed requirements.
The promotion interviews, scheduled for December 4-6, have been met with criticism, with KUPPET chairman Omboko Milemba citing the Career Progression Guidelines adopted in 2017 as a hindrance to career advancement.
Nevertheless, TSC has already announced the postponement of the interviews citing the ongoing inconvenience of El Nino rains.
Collins Oyuu, KNUT Secretary-General, emphasized the need for a re-evaluation of promotion criteria, pointing out persistent challenges in certain advertised positions.
PWPER had echoed concerns over rigid promotion criteria, causing demoralization and burnout among teachers.
The report recommended a harmonization of teacher management policies, urging the education ministry to take over career progression guidelines to guide promotions.
In defence of the promotion criteria, Macharia asserted that the process was rigorous and competitive, emphasizing the commission’s commitment to posting head teachers and deputies who have undergone thorough evaluations.
As the promotion exercise unfolds, the challenges faced by acting school heads underscore broader issues in teacher management policies, calling for collaborative efforts to address systemic shortcomings and rejuvenate the teaching profession.
By Viola Chepkemoi
Get more stories from our website: Education News
To write to us or offer feedback, you can reach us at: editor@educationnews.co.ke
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
