Over 15,000 primary and comprehensive school headteachers gathered at the Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa on Monday, November 9, for the opening of the Kenya Comprehensive Schools Heads Association (KECSHA) 2026 National Conference.
The annual meeting—formerly organized under the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA)—brings together institutional leaders from across the country to discuss emerging trends in education, artificial intelligence, and the execution of Competency-Based Education (CBE).
Addressing delegates on the opening day, KECSHA National Chairman Fuad Ali emphasized that school leaders must adapt to rapid technological shifts while maintaining robust administrative structures.
“These developments raise a fundamental question of what the comprehensive school of the future must become, and what it will take to build it,” Ali stated.
Unified Leadership and Career Progression Reforms
A central focus of the conference is KECSHA’s push for a single administrative head for each comprehensive institution. School heads strongly oppose creating autonomous sub-administrations for Junior Secondary Sections (JSS), advocating instead for one Head of Institution assisted by section-specific deputies.
The leadership agenda aligns with recent policy updates from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), which announced that all institutional heads will be redesignated as “Principals” starting July 1, 2027. Under the revised Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), classroom teachers and administrators will also follow distinct promotion pathways, allowing senior classroom educators to reach Chief Principal status without holding administrative titles.
Delegates are also discussing funding mechanisms, capitation disbursements, and infrastructure requirements for Grade 9 implementations. President William Ruto is scheduled to officially address and close the four-day national conference later in the week.