How TSC Chief Nancy Macharia Weathered Political and Union Pressures for a Decade
As she prepares to step down, Nancy Macharia, the outgoing CEO of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), has shared her reflections on the tumultuous journey she embarked on over the past ten years, particularly during the tumult of teachers’ strikes that reverberated throughout the education landscape.
In a candid interview, Macharia recounted the immense responsibility of overseeing a workforce of over 300,000 educators, a role that often placed her under intense scrutiny, especially when salary discussions reached an impasse.
She reminisced about the nationwide demonstrations led by teachers’ unions, such as the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), which brought public schooling to a standstill for weeks on end.
Navigating the competing demands of these unions and the government’s expectations proved to be one of her most formidable challenges. “I often found myself wedged between conflicting interests. Teachers were clamoring for more, yet the budget constraints were undeniable,” she explained.
Nevertheless, Macharia viewed each strike and protest as a chance to engage in dialogue and seek common ground.
She also tackled the contentious delocalization policy, which involved relocating teachers far from their home regions, igniting significant backlash. While she stood by the policy’s original goals of fostering national unity and enhancing professionalism, she conceded that its execution could have benefited from greater stakeholder engagement.
Reflecting on her legacy, Macharia highlighted several achievements, including the digitization of teacher records, the introduction of competency-based training, and enhancements in recruitment processes. However, she acknowledged that not every decision was met with approval.
“I leave this role with the satisfaction of knowing I gave it my all. I made my share of mistakes, but I also initiated significant reforms that will serve the teaching profession for years to come,” she remarked.
As her tenure draws to a close, the education community is eager to see who will take the reins and how they will tackle the challenges that lie ahead. For now, Macharia’s decade at the TSC stands as one of the most dynamic chapters in the history of Kenya’s educational system.
