Headteachers meeting: Chaos has rocked the Kenya primary school head teachers’ conference in Mombasa, bringing the annual meet to a standstill.

The commotion, characterised by shouting and throwing of chairs and bottles, was caused by the Sh. 500 the head teachers pay as union fees every month to the Kenya Primary Schools Head Teachers Association (Kepsha).

Trouble started when some teachers opposed the charge, saying the union leaders had failed to explain how the money is spent.

Some demanded that it be reduced because they had not been shown any projects the kitty had funded.

“Don’t charge us equally. Some teachers operate in small schools in marginalised areas while others serve wealthy pupils,” Mr Joseph Njeru, a head teacher from Nakuru, said during the Monday chaos. The subscription charge was raised from Sh. 100 to Sh. 500 last year.

The teachers, who converge on Mombasa every year to take stock of their union, share ideas on school management and plan ahead, called for the resignation of Kepsha chairman Shem Ndolo.

The more than 10,000 teachers threatened to pass a vote of no confidence in Mr Ndolo and swear in his deputy Nicholas Gathemia to take over.
They also criticised Mr Ndolo for opposing teachers strike planned by their union from September 1.