School heads in Nyanza Region have been urged to acquaint themselves with legal guidelines on the management of institutions to ensure prudent utilization of resources.
The Director of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Professor Charles Ongondo, said school managers must always keep abreast of the evolving best practices in the running of schools.
He said that by embracing the culture of reading legal instruments, school heads will avoid loss of public resources and the ensuing disciplinary measures.
The director spoke yesterday at Raila Odinga Stadium in Homa Bay town during the Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association (KECSHA) Nyanza Regional Annual General Meeting.
It brought together head teachers from Siaya, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira counties.
Professor Ong’ondo said the most crucial instruments for the school heads include the Constitution of Kenya 2010, the Public Finance Management Act, and the Public Procurement and Assets Disposal Act.
He said a good understanding of the legal instruments will protect the head teachers from legal suits resulting from infractions.
The director stressed that school managers must understand the principles of managing public institutions.
“Head teachers are managers and they must always have the constitutional instruments on their tables,” Prof. Ong’ondo said.
He said failure to understand the legal instruments may lead to legal suits, which may cost the head teachers their jobs.
“We don’t want the government to suffer financial losses through legal suits or misappropriation of capitation funds because some head teachers did not understand the legal framework in which they should operate,” Prof. Ong’ondo said.
Prof. Ong’ondo said understanding the legal instruments will also protect the teachers from extortionists.
“Proper understanding of the legal instruments will enable head teachers to understand their rights and responsibilities and thus safeguard them against extortionists,” Prof Ong’ondo said.
The KICD boss said the government was committed to providing textbooks in all Junior and senior schools to ensure proper implementation of the Competency Based Education (CBE).
“We are committed to providing both Senior and Junior schools with text books to enable us to achieve the ratio of one text book per child for every subject.” Ong’ondo said.
He told Senior school head teachers to submit their requisitions to enable them to get adequate textbooks for grade ten learners.
KECSHA Nyanza Regional Chairman, Elly Ondiek, expressed concerns over break-ins and theft in schools.
He appealed to the government to boost security in schools and called
on all education stakeholders to work closely for effective implementation of CBE.
“We appeal to stakeholders, including legislators and sectoral players, to join hands with us in promoting learning in our schools.” Ondiek said.
Chairman of the Special School Heads Association in Nyanza, Salmon Otina, urged parents to take children with special needs to school.
“I urge parents to stop hiding their disabled children at home, but instead they should take them to school,” Dr. Otina said.
By Davis Langat
