In a surprise move, the Ministry of Education has proposed to drastically reduce the tenure of school principals to a maximum of two terms, with no option for renewal. This has engaged stakeholders, including the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), in a heated debate, since they all differ with the proposal on many fronts.
The proposal has its grounding in the Basic Education Regulations of 2014 (BER), which capacitates the Cabinet Secretary to delegate heads of institutions at the national level. This is contrary to the conventional TSC role of recruiting and promoting teachers, including principals for secondary schools. The TSC, in partnership with Kuppet and Knut, come together to argue that the proposal by the Ministry undermines their powers and, further, is a complete departure from the current system of educational management.
The bone of contention is heavily pegged on the recruitment and management tenures of the same principals. In the Ministry proposal, for instance, principals are obliged to have served a five-year term, renewable once, thus capping his tenure at ten years in one institution. If it is to be effected, it would be that principals are asked to reapply to serve their second term and be vetted as if in a talent show.
What this portends is serious political moves that would relegate back to the TSC the first principle, that of appointing and retaining the principal. In the event that the leader is found unsuitable to ensure that school resources are managed efficiently, a new one would be appointed who would show the respect of the law. This has brought jitters in the existing principal group since the conditions have, with time, become social.
Under the proposed measures, every principal would be subject to scrutiny for their five-year mandate. Reappointment would be based on the efficacy demonstrated over that period by the principal. The whole process would turn the reappointment regime into an annual high-stakes performance review. Principals who managed to serve two terms at one particular school would find themselves leading another institution in the third term, maintaining inflows into school leadership.
The new proposed measures have not gone well with Knut and Kuppet. The two unions have a feeling that the Ministry is trying to encroach on the core mandate of the TSC. According to the unions, the new changes seek to transfer the mandate of recruiting principals from the TSC to the education ministry. Part 92, which constitutes the controversy-measures bagged in the Basic Education Regulations 2014, has come under sharp attack. The unions demand that TSC holds the sole mandate to deploy and promote teachers and other educational staff.
If the regulation is adopted, the face of the education sector in terms of leadership…would possibly change. With applications pouring in for heads at insecurity talking heads…But most likely, the sector would indeed experience fresh ideas and novelty approaches in running schools. On the flip side, the mandates break may lead to unstable and inconsistent school leadership. The stringent reappointment rules backed by a merits-based remuneration may force the leaders to be more competent or may impact their performance negatively because of immense pressure and insecurity of tenure.