TSC raises concern over low number of job applicants

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has lamented over the low number of applicants for teaching posts in some parts of the country.

TSC Secretary Nancy Macharia said that the most affected area is the North Eastern region, forcing the teachers’ employers to extend timelines on affirmative action as well as re-advertise the positions severally to attract applicants from the region.

She said that TSC advertised 36,000 vacancies to address the teacher shortage in December last year but only managed to recruit 35,790 teachers in different categories.

Similarly, TSC advertised for 4,000 positions of interns but only recruited 3,986.

Another 21,550 vacancies were available for Junior Secondary interns but 21,365 were recruited while out of the 450 secondary school interns required, 439 were recruited.

“The remaining 210 vacancies were occasioned by a lack of applicants for teacher interns in Mandera (174 vacancies), Wajir (29) and Garissa (7). The 210 vacancies were re-advertisement again in May 2023 but did not attract any applicants from the three regions. The same has been reserved for the region to be filled during the current recruitment or when an applicant is found whichever is earlier,” explained Macharia.

She made the remarks when responding to the Committee on Education on teachers’ recruitment, promotion and teachers in acting capacity among other issues.

“Teachers are reluctant to take up teacher internship posts in some areas due to the amount of money paid as stipend. To address this the Commission has endeavoured to retain these teachers in their sub-county of choice where vacancies exist so as to reduce relocation expenses,” she added.

Similarly, she said inadequate budgetary provisions to recruit an adequate number of teachers, frequent registration of new basic learning institutions and increase in enrolment have led to a significant teacher shortage.

On promotions, Macharia said the Commission advertised 14,738 vacancies in January to fill posts arising from exits due to natural attrition and teachers performing administrative duties in ASAL and hard-to-staff areas.

Out of the total 14,738 vacancies, 1,021 vacancies were reserved for teachers on affirmative action in ASAL and hard-to-staff areas.

On why some teachers have been in an acting capacity for many years, Macharia said the promotion of institutional administrators is guided by the policy on appointment and deployment of institutional administrators.

Disciplinary cases

The TSC Secretary further revealed that there are 140 pending teacher disciplinary cases currently with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) as of last month.

Macharia said that some 1,007 disciplinary cases were registered in the Financial Year 2022/23 and already, 867 have been finalised.

“The pending 140 cases were registered in June 2023 and will be finalised before August 31,” Macharia said, in a presentation to the National Assembly Education committee.

Also within the same period, TSC reviewed 191 cases and finalised 130, which means 61 are still pending, with the Commission saying they will be heard by the end of September.

Macharia explained that the Commission is mandated to undertake teacher discipline under Article 237(2) (e) of the Constitution, which was actualized by the Code of Regulations for Teachers and the Code of Conduct and Ethics.

The two sets of Regulations provide for processes and procedures for teacher discipline.

Macharia explained that upon receipt of allegations on complaints of breach of regulations or professional misconduct, the Commission conducts investigations to confirm the veracity.

Where a teacher is found to have a case to answer and warrants an interdiction, the interdicting authority serves the teacher with the letter, specifying the actual allegations made against him/her and granting them at least 21 days within which to respond.

She said hearing of the discipline cases is currently decentralized.

According to Macharia, at the conclusion of the hearing of the disciplinary case, the decision and the appropriate punishment meted out by the Discipline Panel is guided by Regulation 154(2) of the CORT and further as stipulated in the guidelines for the management of discipline function.

She said the decision of the Review Committee is final.

Macharia explained that all teachers who undergo disciplinary processes and are not dismissed from service are reinstated into the payroll either immediately or after serving the suspension period.

She also said there are instances where a disciplinary process leads to dismissal and removal from the register of teachers as provided under section 34 (3) (d) of the TSC Act.

However, she said such teachers may appeal to the Review Committee or in Courts of law.