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Parents from a section of schools in the Nyanza region turned away principals who had reported to their new workstations after they were transferred by their employers.
According to the irate parents, the schools in question were experiencing a shortage of students due to the new administrators.
They claimed that the schools were lagging behind with substandard infrastructure – a situation attributed to poor leadership.
Additionally, school boards were accused of not doing enough to push for the recruitment of tutors by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
A signpost showing the Teachers Service Commission office. TSC is mandated with hiring teachers in Kenya
Twitter
“We do not want to judge teachers based on the number of A plain grades that they produce, instead, we are keen on ensuring the wholesome development of learners,” a chair of the board of Management in one school stated.
Parents and locals joined hands to condemn a decision by TSC to effect a reshuffle of school heads in the region.
Similar scenes were witnessed in parts of Migori and Kisii counties with angry parents blocking new school administrators from assuming office.
One of the principals in Homa Bay narrated that he was turned away by parents and the board, who threatened to beat him up.
“There is no point in ongoing to a place where my life is in danger. They have made wrong judgments about me and this is unfair,” the headteacher explained.
The situation was blamed on the Ministry of Education officials who allegedly ignored the concerns of parents regarding the newly appointed school heads.
However, Kisii County Commissioner Tom Anjera urged locals and parents to be tolerant and engage with school boards to address such disputes.
“Blocking principals of learning institutions from executing their duties cannot be allowed. We will take action,” he insisted
TSC transferred principals en masse from Kisii, weeks after a number of schools from the region posted exemplary 2022 KCSE results.
The Commission however downplayed the transfers insisting that it was normal for the employer to move tutors.
Parents blocking the gate at Maeta Secondary School barring new principals from going in February 2023
The Standard
