The Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) has raised concern over several proposals tabled by the Ministry of Education with the union claiming that the proposed plans are part of a scheme by Education CS George Magoha to grab power from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
KUPPET wants two of the proposals - the direct appointment of school managers and the abolition of the National Education Board (NEB) - postponed.
Akello Misori, KUPPET Secretary-General, opposed the ministry's proposal to hire school managers directly, arguing that the role lies with the TSC. This was after Magoha's docket proposed to employ the administrators to aid school heads to manage the institutions.
The managers will be required to manage education resources, from funds that are provided by the government to school fees and donations.
According to the ministry, this would improve accountability and reduce vested interests as some headteachers were accused of corruption, embezzlement of funds and raising cash through school activities such as hiring out school buses and overseeing paid tuitions.
"Parallel employment of school managers would affect the role played by TSC. The commission was tasked with managing teachers as stipulated by the Constitution," Misori lamented.
He added that additional staff would incur more costs to a sector hugely affected by the Covid-119 pandemic. Misori further said that the move would undermine school heads as most of them have undergone finance, management and administration training.
The solution offered by KUPPET was that the ministry should allow headteachers to appoint competent professionals such as accountants, psychologists and trainers under the schools' payroll. However, they should be guided by a policy set up by Magoha's docket.
KUPPET also opposed the ministry's proposal to scrap off the National Education Board (NEB) which advises Magoha, saying that this will affect decision-making in the sector as Magoha would have the power to make decisions without consulting key education stakeholders.
Other education experts, however, welcomed the appointment of school managers, saying that in as much as teachers answer to TSC, the ministry is responsible for disbursing and supervising funds.
This affects the ministry's role as it has to go through TSC to solve any issue that arises from mismanagement of funds. The move, they said, would curb corruption as Magoha was adamant about the efficient running of schools.
On January 15, the CS lamented that some school heads were disobeying his directives on school fees by asking parents to cover extra charges. He warned that he would punish anyone found extorting parents by subjecting them to disciplinary action and exposing them to the public.
