Even as the KESSHA converges in Mombasa today for the 49th AGM and exceptional conference in the wake of the unrest in senior schools, perhaps one fact will stand out : the scramble for transfers of the principals.
For Trans Nzoia County, at least there’s a resurgence for the succession of three Chief Principals (CPs) due for retirement sooner or later. When you mention St Joseph’s Boys of Cosmas Nabungolo, St Joseph’s Girls of Rosemary Orwaro and St Brigids Girls of Inviollata Lokorito, you are actually talking about resources, academic excellence and sterling co-curricular activities, hence the national attraction.
Top national and county government officials, prominent personalities and key leaders are reported to be the frequent visitors and telephone callers to the head teachers, normally seeking for favours and calling shorts.
As the trio prepare to exit service, already a list of preferred choices has been drawn by cartels from the Ministry of Education MoE and their political allies eyeing the plum positions.
Also targeted is the principal of Kapenguria Boys in West Pokot county Moses Ndeda.The same wheel dealers are said to have planted Rev Paul Korir from Nandi county to the Chair of Kitale National Polytechnic council alongside the principal Dr Tom Mulati.
Those earmarked to take over the running of the Trans Nzoia senior schools include Dinah Cheruiyot from Lugulu Girls, Hellen Masengeli from Ng’iyaa Girls, and Phyllis Chepkok from Loreto Matunda Girls.
Trans Nzoia education stakeholders see these proposed changes as a direct slap in their faces since they were never consulted. Led by the former Trans Nzoia Kuppet branch chairman Eliud Wafula, the stakeholders including Parents Associations, teachers’ unions and religious officials, the stakeholders now want politics to be kept off the appointment of principals and teachers to run learning institutions.
Further, they warn the Kitale Catholic Diocese Bishop Juma Odonya as the sponsor of St Joseph’s Boys, St Brigids Girls and St Joseph’s Girls against entertaining the interfering of the schools’ administration by people outside the education sector.
“We have local qualified principals who can replace the retiring ones. Why should we import the ones who do not understand the local environment?, asked Wafula who also lauded President William Ruto for replacing the PS for Basic Education Dr Julius Bitok who seemed to have compromised the education sector .He hoped that the changes will restore discipline in the learning institutions.
