MOMBASA, Kenya, Aug 13 – The Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) chairperson Shem Ndolo on Monday found himself on the receiving end after failing to address complaints raised by teachers.
The meeting came to a standstill after teachers demanded to know how their Sh500 monthly contribution introduced by Ndolo was being spent.
According to the teachers, they used to pay Sh100 monthly fees every month to KEPSHA, but from February this year the amount was raised to Sh500.
Ndolo said the changes are contained in their amended constitution, but the teachers said they were never consulted.
The primary school heads are also complained that they were paying Sh6,000 to attend the KEPSHA annual conference in Mombasa every year.
James Taalam, Kaplelmet Primary School headteacher said there are about 32,000 primary school heads.
He said the amount paid by teachers per year to KEPSHA runs into millions.
“We want to know how this money is spent. They deduct Sh500 every month from our salaries, we pay Sh6,000 to attend this conference, but when we asked for accountability, someone just dismissed us,” he said.
The school heads demanded “Ndolo must go!” after he said termed the teachers complaints as “nonsense.”
The teachers demanded that Ndolo should apologise for his remarks.
“Teachers, I wish to apologise if I have offended any of you,” said Ndolo.
He was thereafter whisked to a waiting room.
Another issue that was being raised by the teachers is that Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary General Wilson Sossion has not been scheduled to address the teachers at the conference.
Ndolo is opposing the KNUT calls for a strike.
KEPSHA Vice chair Nicholas Gathemi was forced to take over the leadership of the conference.
Gathemi promised the delegates that all the issue raised will be addressed by Tuesday morning, before normalcy resumed.
President Uhuru Kenyatta is expected to open the conference on Tuesday.