Bomet education boss recalled to TSC headquaters amid turf wars
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters in upper Hill, Nairobi.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has bowed to months of pressure from leaders and education stakeholders to transfer Ms Mary Kolla, the Commission’s director in charge of Bomet County.
Ms Kolla who has been operating from outside the county for over five months, has been recalled to the TSC headquarters while her position has been taken over by Dr William Yator Kibowen.
The Nation has learnt that Dr Yator who is serving in the same capacity in Mandera County, is expected to hand over his station on Tuesday before heading to Bomet to take over at the end of the week.
It comes hardly a month after Mr Apollo Apuko who was the Bomet County Director of Education was transferred to the neighbouring Narok County taking over from Ms Anne Njogu who was transferred to Nyeri in the same capacity.
Mr Leonard Ngugi Ndungu from the office of the Rift Valley Regional Director of Education took over from Mr Apuko in Bomet following the changes effected by the government.
Ms Kolla and Mr Apuko have for one year been involved in turf wars over implementation of education policies in what has negatively impacted on operations in primary and secondary schools in the county.
Leaders and stakeholders have repeatedly called on the government to take decisive action against Ms Kolla and Mr Apuko following unending fights on policy implementation causing confusion in management of schools.
“The fact that the government has acted on the matter following outcry from education stakeholders is expected to restore order in the sector and turn around performance of students in national examination and boost the morale of teachers in primary and secondary schools in the county,” Mr Malel Langat, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Bomet branch executive secretary said when contacted for a comment by the Nation.
“We hope that the two new directors (Mr Ndungu and Dr Yator) will work together and seek to improve the standards of education in the county with the support of all stakeholders,” Langat said.
It had become the norm for the two directors that when one issued a memo to school managers, the other counters with another cancelling it and giving new directives.
“Instead of consulting and working together, providing leadership in the education sector, the two senior education officer chose to engage in unnecessary conflict on deployment of government policies painting the government in bad light,” Mr Paul Kimetto, the Bomet Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) executive secretary said.
Mr Langat and Mr Kimetto said with the changes, they look forward to all leaders, government officers and stakeholders working towards improving the standards of education in learning institutions to the benefit of students.
Dr Ahmed Omar, the Bomet County Commissioner responding to concerns raised by leaders and education stakeholders on the fight between the two officers, during a meeting convened by Senator Hillary Sigei at Fairhills hotel on December 23, 2022, said that the government will take decisive action against the directors.
Specific action
“I wish to clarify that we have written a letter to the ministry headquarters demanding specific action be taken against the two officers so as to bring this matter to an end once and for all and restore sanity in the sector,” Dr Omar said at the time.
Mr Sigei (Senator), led Woman Representative Linet Chepkorir, Members of Parliament – Mr Francis Sigei (Sotik), Mr Richard Kilel (Bomet Central), Mr Richard Yegon (Bomet East), Mr Brighton Yegon (Konoin) and Mr Victor Koech (Chepalungu) in calling on the government to take decisive action against its officers who are not willing to work with others to deliver services to the people.
“Of what use is the government retaining officers in Bomet county who have no time to work with those of other departments and leaders? We will not condone it, and they should simply leave so that the government can post committed officers to implement policies and render services to the people," Mr Sigei (Senator) said.
On his part Mr Sigei (Sotik MP) said “Apparently, some officers still have hangovers and are yet to come to reality with the fact that there is a change of guard in government. If they can not fit in, then they should simply ship out,”
Mr Yegon said, “We want results oriented officers in the county and it should go on record that as leaders we are unanimous that government officers working in the county should be results oriented,”
Mr Kilel said the current crop of elected leaders in the county are committed to improving the standards of education in learning institutions so as to increase transition rates to universities and colleges.
It also comes in the backdrop of expected changes in the leadership of the County Education Board with the term of the current chairman Dr Elias Kipngetich Kirui having come to a close.
The board members have repeatedly called for removal of Dr Kirui as the chairperson, "for stability to prevail in the education sector and inject professionalism in management of learning institutions"
Dr Kirui has been accused of abdicating his duties and responsibilities, skipping more than four successive board meetings without apology, failing to provide leadership in the board, and failing to consult members to strike a consensus on key issues affecting the education sector in the last one year.
However, Dr Kirui, a Moi University lecturer recently appointed by Bomet Governor Professor Hillary Barchok as the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member in charge of Public Service and Special Programs attended the board meeting on January, 20 which was practically the last he chaired under his term before the position was declared vacant.
The Ministry of Education has already invited candidates to apply for the position of chairman of the board, with candidates expected to satisfy Chapter six of the constitution on leadership and integrity to be considered for the vacancy.
Applicants should have working experience at a managerial level, be conversant with the Constitution of Kenya (2010) and Kenya Devolution Laws, should demonstrate passion and commitment to improve the standards of education in the county.
In addition, the candidates are required to have a first degree or equivalent qualification from a recognized institution while a master’s degree is an added advantage, be an eminent educationist of five years standing based in the county and should be conversant with education trends and reforms in the country and the world.
Dr Kirui has repeatedly declined to comment on the matter, so to Mr Apuko and Ms Kolla.
