Teachers want TSC put under ministry
By Bernard Gitau, March 10, 2020
Bernard Gitau @benagitau
Teachers have proposed that the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) be domiciled under the Ministry of Education.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) has also recommended the establishment of an independent teachers regulatory authority to deal with teachers training and registering of teachers’ colleges.
The union said the independence of the commission has locked out the Education Cabinet secretary from teachers’ welfare and also leads to duplication of duties and personnel.
Led by Knut deputy secretary general Hesbon Otieno, the union said the continued existence of TSC as an independent commission brings into question the validity of TSC Act (2012) as most of the teachers’ day-to-day activities, curriculum implementation, supervision, quality assurance and standards and assessment fall directly under the State Department of Basic Education.
“It is only in Kenya where the Education Minister has no control of the teacher but only controls pupils and students,” he said.
The union officials were speaking during the Building Bridges Initiative validation forum in Nairobi, yesterday.
Otieno added that the duplication of duties and personnel between the Ministry of Education and TSC was costing the taxpayers a lot of money.
Knut National Treasurer John Matiang’i said since TSC became independent, there has been conflict between it and the ministry which is affecting service delivery.
Block directive
“TSC earlier opposed and went to court to block the ministry directive lowering training grades of teachers from marginalised areas such as North Eastern to address shortage. The directive was well through but the TSC rejected it,” he said.
Few weeks ago, Education CS George Magoha, who was accompanied by TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia in parliament before Education committee, said TSC was acting like the “fourth arm of government”.
Meanwhile, the union proposed the creation of a national institute of education. This, they said will help in having a well trained and holistic teachers at all levels of basic education.