- Partner institutions organise these programmes and conferences based on their own calendar and not the Kenyan calendar.
- It is unfair to deny principals an opportunity to attend those conferences.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
School principals want to be allowed to travel abroad for special collaboration programmes, the teachers' conference heard on Friday.
Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association boss Indimuli Kahi said some schools have partnered with foreign institutions in science, cultural exchanges and sports.
“Sometime principals are invited to conferences or meetings fully paid for by partner schools. However, many times the employer has turned down requests to travel because they happen to be during teaching time,” Kahi said.
He however said the partner institutions organise these programmes and conferences based on their own calendar and not the Kenyan calendar. It is unfair to deny principals an opportunity to attend those conferences and special programmes just because they happen to occur during school days in Kenya.
“I am pushing that they (TSC) allow on those special occasions principals to travel and continue working with such partners even in the middle of teaching and learning, because the school can still work with deputies and all the other senior teachers that have been given responsibility,” Kahi said.
He said the issue has influenced the association to review their constitution and include a clause where such international partnerships are recognised.
At the same time, Kahi called on the Teachers Service Commission to allow principals who wish to be relieved of their principal duties on medical grounds to continue as normal teachers but with the same privileges of principals.
Kahi argued that the body may sometimes refuse to cooperate and start acting up, rendering a principal unable to effectively discharge their duties.
The TSC regulations indicate that career progression for principals is only one-way.
This means once one has become a principal, they cannot go back to being a regular teacher.
“It is exit or stay. But I may develop a sickness that may not allow me to work as a principal. Therefore, I may request that I be relieved of my duties as a principal and be allowed to work as a class teacher,” Kahi said.
However, he said the TSC will only respond saying career progression is one-way and the only option is to exit.
“But, you see, I’m sick and I may need that insurance. It is not the job per se. It is also the insurance cover. If I exit I lose the insurance cover.
“I feel that clause that once you enter into administration through career progression you should exit when you are unable, should be relooked at,” Kahi said.
He said those who can continue serving as normal teachers should be allowed.