Drama at School Heads Conference as Teachers Protest Contribution Increase

By Virginia Mwangi

There was drama at the Primary school heads conference on Monday after the chairman of the association, Shem Ndolo, announced an increase in the teacher’s monthly contributions from 100 shillings to 500 shillings.

The teachers opposed the increase arguing that they were neither involved in amending the constitution that required the contributions to be increased nor were they given a valid explanation. The contributions would add up to 6,000 shillings that the primary school heads pay to attend the yearly conference always held at Mombasa

“We want to know how this money is spent. They deduct 500 shillings every month from our salaries and we pay 6,000 shillings to attend this conference but when we ask for accountability, someone just dismisses us. That is unacceptable,” said James Taalam, Kaplelmet Primary School headteacher.

Shem, who had at the beginning dismissed the teacher’s concerns on the matter terming them as nonsense and insisting that they carry on with the meeting, was met with the wrath of the head teachers who resulted to shouting and demanding for he vacates the post.

The school heads, who were around 10,000, resulted to shouting in unison that “Ndolo must go”.

The school heads also alleged misappropriation of funds at Zayed Complex in Mombasa.

“He is dismissing the union. He is dismissing teachers,” one of the headteacher’s said noting that the chair was expected to retire in 2016.

Ndolo was later kicked out of the hall with his apologies falling on deaf ears.

“Teachers, I wish to apologize if I have offended anyone,” he said as he was whisked out of the ongoing conference forcing Nicholas Gathemi, the vice chair, to take over the leadership of the conference.

The conference that is normally held annually in Mombasa is expected to be officially opened on 14th August by President Uhuru Kenyatta.