Knut rejects demotion of primary headteachers lacking degree

Kenya National Union of Teachers top officials have rejected a proposal by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms to have primary school head teachers without degrees demoted.

Knut Secretary General Collins Oyuu said the proposal would be the worst labour practice, and the union will not accept it.

“About 99 per cent of head teachers in primary schools are graduates. If anybody thinks head teachers in primary schools are not graduates, then you are wrong,” said Oyuu.

However, he said if there are head teachers without degrees, the union wants them to be allowed to proceed to study without being demoted.

He said most of the teachers in question are qualified to attain degrees.

Oyuu addressed Knut Coast regional officials at Ronald Ngala Primary School in Mombasa county at the weekend.

“If there is any teacher who is not a graduate and is a head teacher, we will insist they be allowed to proceed to university and attain the qualification.”

He said the union supports other changes proposed by the team, adding that there is a need to scrap Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Senior Secondary School and have it replaced with a comprehensive school.

Oyuu said the comprehensive school should start from Early Child Development Education (ECDE) level to Grade 12, under one umbrella headed by one principal, unlike where JSS is domiciled in primary and then moves to senior secondary school with different head teachers.

He also supported the recommendation to reduce the powers of the TSC and give them to the Ministry of Education, saying there is always conflict between the ministry and TSC.