Nakuru County Knut executive secretary James Mungai. [Photo/ Victor Wanaswa]
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Nakuru branch wants the government to conduct the ongoing transfer of head teachers in a humane manner to avoid negating the anticipated gains in some schools across the country.Nakuru County Knut executive secretary James Mungai said the move by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to delocalise the management of schools through massive transfers is welcome but the commission should be kind to listen and consider genuine cases of teachers who appeal against their transfer to other schools.Mungai argued the transfers are bound to affect the productivity of teachers with pressing health concerns, a move he said will eventually take a toll on the academic performance of some schools. Mungai was addressing parents, teachers, and pupils at Moi Primary School in Nakuru Town West Constituency today (Saturday) during the school`s prize giving day.His sentiments come just hours after acting Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i maintained that TSC will not reverse the transfer of any teacher.The CS said all teachers who have received transfer letters must report to their new stations as directed by the commission.Mungai said his office is already inundated with complaints from teachers with genuine but rejected appeals, adding that this constitutes a grievous concern amid the ambitious reforms aimed at turning around the education sector.While taking a swipe at elected leaders in some parts of the county for meddling with the management of public schools in the region, Mungai appealed to the area’s security agencies to protect teachers from violence by apprehending politicians and parents that orchestrate aggression against teachers.Moi Primary School is reported to be the most populous school in Nakuru County and protests by parents against the replacement of the school’s head teacher early this week raised eyebrows among stakeholders who traced a political twist in the demonstrations.In what appeared to be a reassurance stunt, the school’s outgoing head teacher Charles Njoroge said he had opted for an early retirement and handed over the management of the school to the new principal Mark Kirubi.He called on the area’s political leadership, parents and pupils to cooperate with the new head teacher in the quest for better performance of the school.