Education Ministry under scrutiny as politicians issue employment letters to new QUASOs
Concerns have been raised regarding the methodology employed by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in the recruitment of Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QUASOs), who were subsequently assigned to field offices by the Ministry of Education (MoE).
Educationists express apprehension over the MoE’s irregular appointment of over 110 QUASOs from the middle of last year to early this year, executed without the standard procedure of advertising or interviewing candidates.
It is noteworthy that the individuals who received these positions were predominantly sourced from the teaching community, with appointment letters being distributed by prominent politicians and influential governmental figures.
A senior government official within the MoE, who preferred not to be interviewed due to concerns of potential repercussions, verified the appointments and assignments of the QUASOs to mitigate the existing shortage of officers in the field.
“It is indeed accurate that the Ministry hired the officers to remedy the deficit of QUASOs in the field. We are experiencing shortages of officers at our sub-counties, and it is imperative that these positions are filled. However, we have noted that the number of individuals hired is excessively high,” stated the official.
The senior officer, who possesses insights into the operations at the MoE headquarters, acknowledged that the Government did not publicize the positions nor conduct interviews prior to the deployment of the aforementioned personnel.
“The Education Cabinet Secretary, as mandated by law, is responsible for declaring the vacancies and informing the Public Service Commission (PSC) to publicly advertise the positions, shortlist candidates, conduct interviews, and formally appoint the officers by issuing appointment letters. The Government’s recruitment agency opted for a different approach,” revealed the MoE insider.
Individuals familiar with these developments have urged the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Authority (EACC) to promptly investigate the selection process by which the teachers were appointed as QUASOs, given that the formal procedure was not adhered to.
These concerns arise from allegations suggesting that between July 2024 and February this year, the MoE, influenced by politicians and certain senior government officials, covertly issued appointment letters to teachers who were either relatives or political allies to join the MoE as QUASOs.
In an effort to substantiate the allegations, Education News undertook a fact-finding mission across several counties to ascertain whether officers had been recently appointed as QUASOs.
The findings indicated that some teachers had indeed joined the QUASO department as a result of connections with high-ranking politicians and influential government figures.
The purported irregularities appear to have generated considerable anxiety among existing officers within the QUASO division under the MoE, particularly when they became aware that some newcomers were reportedly appointed to positions higher than their own.
“It adversely affects our morale to witness teachers from the classroom being promoted by politicians to supervise us in the field. To exacerbate our discontent is the fact that no recent advertisements or interviews were conducted for these appointments,” remarked a senior QUASO from the Eastern region.
Furthermore, there are assertions that certain unnamed Members of Parliament within the Education Committee are exploiting the existing vacancies for QUASOs at the MoE to bestow positions upon their relatives and associates.
“This practice among politicians of circumventing the law to reward their supporters constitutes complete impunity and must be halted. Experienced officers are disheartened by such conduct. How can one impose inexperienced teachers and other recruits upon seasoned officers, and what audacity allows for their hiring in higher job categories? queried the irate QUASO.
Recently, the image of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has come under intense scrutiny following instances where some Members of Parliament were recorded distributing employment forms in their constituencies. This occurs while the Commission subjected other Kenyans to a competitive process in the recruitment of teachers. The public has raised concerns regarding how those with influential connections are being provided with free employment forms, while others are subjected to demanding assessments.
It is imperative to highlight that the Ministry of Education has not advertised officer vacancies for the past four years yet has proceeded to make replacements. Previously, the government announced a moratorium on employment within the civil service. ”