A total of 25 principals have been reshuffled in Kisii County as the new school year kicks off.
According to Martin Bunde, the Kisii County Teachers Service Commission (TSC) director, 3 of the reshuffles were necessitated by the misconduct of some school heads. The director said that some deputy principals were promoted to the position of principals in the TSC reshuffle.
"We decided to promote deputy head teachers who had given exemplary service as administrators in their schools assisting the principal. Their promotion to the position of principal was a reward for their good work," he said.
He added that some principals had swapped places in what he termed as “inter-county transfers.”
Bunde said that the former principal of St Lawrence Nyabieyo Secondary School, Phillip Akumu, was demoted from his position for chronic absenteeism and non –performance of duties and due to that, he was replaced by Joseph Opanga, a former deputy head teacher at Amasago High School.
Kenyoro DOK Secondary School also had their principal, Nicholas Mokaya, dropped because of absenteeism. Former Bishop, Mugendi High School deputy, Richard Nyakundi took up his position. Also dropped from the head teacher’s position was Raymond Nyangoto, who had been transferred from Nyosia Secondary to Nyagisai Secondary School.
''We took the decision to drop these 3 because of adverse reports resulting from their misconduct,'' said Bunde.
Former Amariba Secondary School deputy head teacher, Zipporah Nyandoro, was also promoted to head teacher of Suguta DOK Secondary School.
He also said that 4 principals had swapped places, naming the former principal of Masaba Church of God Secondary School in Kisii County, Shadrack Ongeta, as having swapped places with Kefa Mogeni of Senator Kebaso Secondary School Secondary School in Nyamira County.
Bunde urged teachers to take the performance appraisal and contracting exercises as a positive move by the TSC meant to benefit them in the long run.
''Performance contracts will be signed by all head teachers while the appraisal is meant for all teachers, head teachers included. We intend to train the teachers who prove deficient in some skills. They should therefore not take the exercise as a witch hunt designed to punish the ones with poor performance,'' he said.