Barely a month after learning institutions reopened for the new academic calendar 2025, secondary schools in Matungu Sub-county, Kakamega County grapple with myriad challenges affecting effective service delivery.
Delayed capitation, stagnation in Teachers Service Commission (TSC) promotions, mushrooming schools, Grade 10 pathways and recruitment of teachers in senior secondary schools are just but among the many other factors affecting operations in secondary schools.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) chairperson in Matungu Mrs Colletta Were has asked the relevant stakeholders to consider sorting the issues as a delay in the release of capitation funds exerts pressure on the heads of the Institution making it very difficult for them to deliver on a number of key functions.
According to Mrs Were, who is also the Principal of St John’s Mukhweya Secondary, many schools have terminated the services of the Board of Management (BOM) teachers as they don’t have what to pay them.
She noted one cannot realise production in a hostile environment opting for other measures.
Mrs Were also cites the recruitment of teachers in secondary schools as a major issue affecting senior secondary schools in Kenya.
“Recruitment of teachers in secondary schools was done very many years ago and a number of teachers left in January for Junior Secondary Schools. Getting replacements, especially in sciences across the sub-county is an issue as the slots available are very few yet many schools are in need,” she said.
She added, “Like in my school, I have a serious challenge in Chemistry/Physics combination but I don’t know when I will get the replacement.”
Grade 10 CBC pathways are also other factors that a number of heads of institutions are grappling with. Senior Secondary will be receiving learners in Grade 10 starting next year but the career pathways are yet to be explained well to a number of heads.
“Some schools have already positioned themselves as STEM but we really don’t know the criteria that will be used in transitioning learners to these schools which is a major challenge,” she said.
She added, “I have over 40 members who are ready to receive the Grade 10 learners next year but we are still in the dark on which pathway we are going to offer in Grade 10.”
In the past 6 years, many new schools were established within a radius of 3 kilometres and below and this is also an effect that KESSHA has noted as a point of concern.
Chair avers that establishing many schools within the locality affects the established schools as the existing schools are deprived of the students and resources that could be used to improve their existence and instead asked the Ministry to have one school improved with teachers, students and facilities.
TSC promotions have also stagnated for years and this demotivates a number of Heads of Institutions.
According to Madam Chair, they do interviews and qualify but they don’t get promoted.
“It is not good for someone to stay in one job group for over 15 years yet we have what it takes to move to the next job group,” said Madam Principal.
The soft-spoken Madam Chair thanked the cooperation that exists between the community and HOIs as her office has never received any complaints pitting the HOIs and the stakeholders or the community.
