Primary and secondary schools have began the process of replacing school Board of Management (BOM) members.

The nomination of new BOM members comes after expiry of three year tenure inline with section 56 of the Basic Education Act 2013.

The Ministry of Education directed public schools to begin the process of replacing boards of management and the names of new nominees forwarded immediately.

“The purpose of this letter therefore is to ask you to start the process of nomination and selection for appointment of new school Boards of Management in accordance with section 56 of the Basic Education Act 2013,” reads a letter addressed to all County Directors of Education.

Names for Primary school BOMs will be sent to the Director, Primary Education while those for Secondary school BOMs and other institutions to the Director, Secondary Education.

Ministry is seeking to have all new board members vetted at the nomination stage.

Teachers have however been barred from being nominated in the school Boards of Management.

“It has been decided that employees of Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission shall not be nominated for appointment to Boards of Management,” read a circular that was released by Ministry of Education.

This however does not apply to appointments of Teacher Representative done under Section 56 (1) (c) of the same Act and the Head of Institution who is the Secretary of the Board of Management as per Section 62 (1) of the Act.

This is done to avoid officers getting conflicted in the discharge of their duties.

Similarly, the composition of the Parents Association shall be done with a view of conforming to the instructions when it comes to co-option of such persons into the Boards of Management.

It said any nominations that may have been done contrary to instructions should be revoked with immediate effect.

All Principals and Headteachers of Basic Education Institutions were instructed to conform to the new rules.

The government is keen to clean up all school boards to get rid of members, who have presided over the continued disregard of ministry guidelines and policies, as their term comes to an end.

According to Section 22 of the Basic Education Act, 2013, the tenure of service for the chairperson and members of the County education boards is four years and three years respectively.

County Education Boards, among other functions, are expected to collaborate with the Board of Management, the Principal, the Head Teacher, and other appropriate authorities in the management of schools.

They are also expected to coordinate and monitor education and training in the County on behalf of the national government and the county government. 

According to the Act, the school board comprises six persons elected to represent parents of the pupils in the school or local community in the case of county secondary schools.

These are: one nominated by the County Education Board, one representative of the teaching staff in the school elected by the teachers and three representatives of sponsors of the school.

Further, one person representing special interest groups in the community, one person to represent persons with special needs and a representative of the students’ council who shall be an ex officio member, will also sit on the board.

The Board of Management may from time to time co-opt into its membership such persons as it is satisfied possess skills and experience to assist in the discharge of the Board’s functions.

Nominations shall be done at school level and government anticipate the new teams coming in the school boards will streamline the management.

Ministry has been pushing to have members who have been committed to implementing government policies given second chance to sit on those boards.

School heads, who are the secretaries to the boards of management, have recently come in sharp focus for not adhering to the fees guidelines even after Ministry issued circulars.

Some of the heads have also been listed for overseeing increasing cases of indiscipline which has resulted in school fires and other ills in schools.

And now, Ministry says those who will sit in the boards must be competent.

County Directors of Education said they will vet chairpersons of the boards, as they lead a unit that makes school decisions.

“We know that some heads of schools will want to push out those who have stood on their path to doing bad things and reward those who support their ill ways,” said one of the directors.

After the nominations, the Act under Section 56 (4) says that the members of the Board of Management shall elect their chairperson from amongst themselves. 

Primary and secondary schools have began the process of replacing school Board of Management (BOM) members.

The nomination of new BOM members comes after expiry of three year tenure inline with section 56 of the Basic Education Act 2013.

The Ministry of Education directed public schools to begin the process of replacing boards of management and the names of new nominees forwarded immediately.

“The purpose of this letter therefore is to ask you to start the process of nomination and selection for appointment of new school Boards of Management in accordance with section 56 of the Basic Education Act 2013,” reads a letter addressed to all County Directors of Education.

Names for Primary school BOMs will be sent to the Director, Primary Education while those for Secondary school BOMs and other institutions to the Director, Secondary Education.

Ministry is seeking to have all new board members vetted at the nomination stage.

Teachers have however been barred from being nominated in the school Boards of Management.

“It has been decided that employees of Ministry of Education and Teachers Service Commission shall not be nominated for appointment to Boards of Management,” read a circular that was released by Ministry of Education.

This however does not apply to appointments of Teacher Representative done under Section 56 (1) (c) of the same Act and the Head of Institution who is the Secretary of the Board of Management as per Section 62 (1) of the Act.

This is done to avoid officers getting conflicted in the discharge of their duties.

Similarly, the composition of the Parents Association shall be done with a view of conforming to the instructions when it comes to co-option of such persons into the Boards of Management.

It said any nominations that may have been done contrary to instructions should be revoked with immediate effect.

All Principals and Headteachers of Basic Education Institutions were instructed to conform to the new rules.

The government is keen to clean up all school boards to get rid of members, who have presided over the continued disregard of ministry guidelines and policies, as their term comes to an end.

According to Section 22 of the Basic Education Act, 2013, the tenure of service for the chairperson and members of the County education boards is four years and three years respectively.

County Education Boards, among other functions, are expected to collaborate with the Board of Management, the Principal, the Head Teacher, and other appropriate authorities in the management of schools.

They are also expected to coordinate and monitor education and training in the County on behalf of the national government and the county government. 

According to the Act, the school board comprises six persons elected to represent parents of the pupils in the school or local community in the case of county secondary schools.

These are: one nominated by the County Education Board, one representative of the teaching staff in the school elected by the teachers and three representatives of sponsors of the school.

Further, one person representing special interest groups in the community, one person to represent persons with special needs and a representative of the students’ council who shall be an ex officio member, will also sit on the board.

The Board of Management may from time to time co-opt into its membership such persons as it is satisfied possess skills and experience to assist in the discharge of the Board’s functions.

Nominations shall be done at school level and government anticipate the new teams coming in the school boards will streamline the management.

Ministry has been pushing to have members who have been committed to implementing government policies given second chance to sit on those boards.

School heads, who are the secretaries to the boards of management, have recently come in sharp focus for not adhering to the fees guidelines even after Ministry issued circulars.

Some of the heads have also been listed for overseeing increasing cases of indiscipline which has resulted in school fires and other ills in schools.

And now, Ministry says those who will sit in the boards must be competent.

County Directors of Education said they will vet chairpersons of the boards, as they lead a unit that makes school decisions.

“We know that some heads of schools will want to push out those who have stood on their path to doing bad things and reward those who support their ill ways,” said one of the directors.

After the nominations, the Act under Section 56 (4) says that the members of the Board of Management shall elect their chairperson from amongst themselves.