School heads have urged the government and education stakeholders to strengthen support for principals, saying they are grappling with growing responsibilities that now extend beyond academics to student safety, mental health, social media and the implementation of the Competency-Based Education (CBE).
Speaking during the 49th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) annual conference in Mombasa, the school leaders said principals have become counsellors, crisis managers, financial managers, digital communicators and guardians of learner welfare.
The heads said the changing nature of education has placed new demands on principals, who must now balance learner safety, parental expectations, teacher shortages, delayed capitation, rising costs and the needs of a generation of students who are more aware of their rights.
Parmale Kuluo, the principal of Nkareta Secondary School in Kajiado County, said the biggest challenge facing him is no longer managing a growing student population but ensuring learners remain safe and supported.
Kuluo said when he was posted to the school five years ago, it had only 151 students, but the number has since grown to more than 1,000.
He said the fire tragedy at Utumishi Academy, which claimed the lives of 16 learners, forced him to rethink how schools should respond to safety concerns.
“As principals, we have gone through [a lot], especially after what happened at Utumishi Academy,” Kuluo said.
“I asked myself what I could do differently with such a large student population. We organised prayer sessions, not just for worship but as a platform for communicating with our students.”
Kuluo said principals must change how they approach discipline and communication, noting that schools can no longer operate separately from the digital world where learners interact.
“Our learners are on Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, YouTube and LinkedIn. Schools should have official platforms carrying the school flag and the national anthem. We should communicate with learners there and also understand how they organise themselves. Let’s follow them where they are,” he said.
He said technology should be used to build trust between school leaders and learners instead of being viewed only as a challenge.
“We must change how we do things, especially in discipline,” he said.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development Chief Executive Officer Charles Ong’ondo said principals must understand the changing behaviour of learners under CBE, adding that the curriculum has created a generation of students who are encouraged to express themselves.
Prof Ong’ondo, who taught for 15 years before joining curriculum development, recalled an incident involving a Grade 10 learner at Ogande Girls High School who walked into the principal’s office and asked to use the school phone to speak to her father.
The principal questioned the request, saying the learner was now in senior school and not primary school, where students simply ask teachers to call their parents.
“The principal told the learner, ‘You are now in senior school, not primary school, where you simply wake up and ask us to call your parents.’ But the girl corrected her.
“She said, ‘I came from junior school, not primary school. We were taught that parents should be actively involved in our education. I have an important issue I want to discuss with my father. You are the principal of the school, so whose phone should I use?’”
Ong’ondo said the incident reflected the kind of learner that CBE is creating.
“That is the kind of learner we have brought to you through CBE. When learners express themselves and engage respectfully, they are not being rude or disrespectful. They are empowered. As long as they are not infringing on anyone’s rights, these are children we must listen to, guide and nurture,” he said.
He urged principals to view CBE as an opportunity to move away from judging learners only through academic results and instead focus on identifying talents and guiding students towards suitable career paths.
KESSHA National Chairman Willie Kuria said principals had played a major role in ensuring the transition to CBE was successful but continued to face many challenges without enough support.
“As principals, we take pride in the role we have played in ensuring a smooth transition to CBE. But the education sector continues to face significant challenges that require urgent and collective attention,” he said.
The concerns come amid increased cases of student unrest and school fires that have destroyed property worth millions of shillings and claimed 18 young lives.
“[Strikes] are usually preceded by simmering grievances touching on food quality, discipline, bullying, academic pressure, teacher conduct or feelings of exclusion,” he said.
Muturi said principals who remain accessible and address student complaints fairly are less likely to experience violent unrest.
He urged schools to strengthen student councils, establish effective grievance mechanisms and invest in guidance and counselling to support learners.
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