Raila gives pay promise
By Jibril Adan

Prime Minister Raila Odinga officially opened the annual conference of head teachers in Mombasa.

Raila, who was welcomed with cheers by thousands of secondary school heads at the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KSSHA) conference assured them that he would prioritise their grievances starting with their salaries.

“Education is too important to our nation’s future,” he said in response to demands presented by the chairman of the association, Mr Cleophus Tirop.

Raila said the Government would ensure teachers were equipped with the right tools to make them effective.

“I know we have failed you in a few areas. That’s why I have come today to assure you that resolving your concerns will be one of my priorities,” he said.

Raila said harmonisation of teachers’ salaries and other civil servants was inevitable despite the resource constraints.

Teachers have complained that they earn less than their equals in the civil service.

Raila also said head teachers would undergo managerial training, noting that Teachers Service Commission does not promote teachers who acquire higher degrees unlike the Public Service Commission.

“There are delays in promotions, no leave benefits and opportunity for staff developments,” said Raila, whose speech was interrupted by cheers from the principals.

Raila acknowledged that the shortage of teachers was a big challenge.

However, he pleaded for time to deliver on the pledges because the free secondary education programme was a burden.

Tirop asked the Government to absorb the 100,000 non-teaching staff so that the burden of paying them is taken away from schools.

Raila called on teachers to help fight tribalism and announced that he was opposed to the quota system of admission.

“Let us destroy this monster called tribalism and we will prosper. Let us teach our children nationalism like Tanzanians do,” he said.

Education Assistant Minister Calist Mwatela, and the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Education David Koech accompanied Raila.

The Prime Minister said post-election violence taught Kenyans a lesson that would guide their future.

He said now, more than ever, Kenyans had realised the meaning of unity.

“We always thought we knew that unity was our strength, but we did not take it seriously,” he said.

The lack of policies that appreciated diversity led to loss of life following the disputed election, he said.

“I want to say today that those who died and suffered did not do so in vain. Their tragedy has taught us that unity is an indispensable foundation of this nation’s future, and no sacrifice is too great to ensure it happens,” he told the conference.

He said that realisation was what made him and President Kibaki to work together in “a path-breaking experiment whose principal goal is to undertake the reforms that our people urgently need”.

He added that only through such a coalition government could people believe that their hard work was all that mattered in ensuring their basic needs were met.

Raila said tribalism should be tackled and called on the head teachers to play their part in their institutions.

Paraphrasing Martin Luther King, he said, “I have a dream that one day every Kenyan will be recognised not by his tribe, but by his character. The crisis we went through taught us that every Kenyan matters.

The theme of the conference is ‘Education for National Unity’.

Courtesy of;http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143989072&cid=4