Delocalization of Schools’ Heads- TSC gives an update

The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, has said 88 percent of transferred schools’ heads have taken over at their new stations. According to TSC, 2,750 of the deployed 3,094 schools’ administrators had reported to their new stations by Friday 28th December, 2018. The Commission transferred 3,094 schools’ administrators (mostly Head Teachers/ Principals) this month under its delocalization programme amid protests from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT.

“The handing/ taking over exercise started on 20th December 2018 across the country. By today, 28th December 2018, 2750 or about 88 percent of the Heads of institutions had either handed or taken over as per the Commission’s timelines,” reads a Presser dated 28th December, 2018, by TSC’s Head of Communications; Kihumba Kamotho.

REASONS FOR THE TRANSFERS, ACCORDING TO TSC

According to Kamotho, the transfers of schools’ heads were occasioned by the need to fill vacant positions following the retirement of some heads of institutions in the last three months. Also fueling the delocalization exercise is the need to strengthen management of some learning institutions following recommendations from standards and assessment reports. Another catalyst is in order to address cases where some principals and head teachers had served in the same institution for a long period. For such heads, the transfers are intended to provide them with a new working environment and also tap into their vast experience.

Those transferred are heads and principals who had served in the same station for a long period. Principals and heads with fewer years to retirement and those with health complications were spared either; irrespective of the number of years served at the current stations. A spot check showed some principals who have served at the same schools for over 20 years were not moved; as most have a maximum of two years to attain the mandatory retirement age (60 years).

KNUT OPPOSED TO THE TRANSFERS.

KNUT is opposed to the transfers citing disruptions in families of the affected teachers. But, the TSC is turning a deaf ear to KNUT’s demands. According to Kimotho, the transfers of the 3,094 schools’ administrators will be finalized tomorrow. “It is expected that the entire handing over exercise will be be completed by 31st December, 2018, in readiness for the beginning of the 1st term on 3rd January 2019,” insists Kamotho.

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Stake holders, and mostly learners and parents, will be following proceedings at the KNUT headquarters to see if indeed the KNUT top brass will sanction the strike; slated for Wednesday, 2nd January, 2019.