About 15,000 Kenyan school heads meet in Mombasa to plan for AI in the classroom
The four-day conference asks "what must the comprehensive school of the future become" and will be closed by President Ruto on Thursday.
Mombasa — About 15,000 heads of Kenya's junior and primary comprehensive schools begin a four-day conference in Mombasa on Monday to discuss how schools should respond to a fast-changing education system, driven largely by artificial intelligence.
The meeting at Sheikh Said Hall is led by Fuad Abdalla, chairman of the Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association. "These developments raise a fundamental question of what must the comprehensive school of the future become, and what will it take to build it?" he said, according to The Standard.
What heads will learn
The programme covers instructional leadership, the conditions for effective learning, and the use of technology in teaching and running schools, including practical ways to use AI tools. Heads will also look at accountability, ties with parents and communities, and how to help learners "imagine, lead, innovate and act decisively". Abdalla said the association wants heads to lead in building a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy for every child.
Officials from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development will speak on the changing curriculum and the role of technology, and the association will review its 2024-2028 strategic plan. Education News reported that the acting chief executive of the Teachers Service Commission, Dr Evaleen Mitei, is due to give the keynote.
Abdalla thanked the government for making sure capitation funds now reach schools on time, but said the association had issues to raise with President William Ruto, who is due to close the conference on Thursday.
Sources: The Standard, Education News, November 2026.
