Teachers Lose Millions in Fake TSC Recruitment Scheme
Numerous unemployed teachers are experiencing distress after fraudsters swindled them out of their hard-earned money through a fraudulent Teachers Service Commission (TSC) recruitment scheme, resulting in losses exceeding Sh3 million.
The victims were deceived into paying substantial amounts for non-existent job offers, with some resorting to loans or selling family land to secure positions that were never available.
One teacher from Kabarnet lost Ksh100,000 after her family sold their land, while a detective from Eldoret lost Ksh120,000 in a desperate effort to help his daughter find a job.
The scammers, posing as TSC officials, issued counterfeit appointment letters that were later found to be forgeries. Authorities are currently investigating the case, but key suspects have turned off their phones to avoid capture.
The future of the affected teachers, primarily from Trans Nzoia and Baringo Counties, remains uncertain as their attempts to recover their money have repeatedly stalled, leaving them with only their fraudulent appointment letters.
Sharing their distressing experiences, two victims from Baringo expressed their realization that they might never see their money again. “We took the appointment letters to the TSC offices in Kabarnet Town, but when we checked for our names among the recently employed teachers, they were absent,” one victim recounted.
The Baringo TSC County Director confirmed the scam, stating that his office has been overwhelmed with inquiries from scammed victims seeking information about their employment letters before the reporting date of March 19, as indicated on the documents.
Two coordinators of the scam, identified as Koross from Baringo County and Towett from Kericho County, have since turned off their phones after learning that authorities are pursuing them.
One of the defrauded teachers mentioned that she and her fellow victims took their letters to the TSC Kabarnet Branch, only to be informed that the documents originated from River Road in Nairobi, known for its counterfeit documents.
The fake letters contained all the TSC branding, including watermarks and stamps.
In related news, President William Ruto has signed a supplementary budget allocating KSh 18 billion to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). This funding aims to assist thousands of teachers nationwide who have faced delays in promotions, unpaid salaries, and insufficient resources.
A significant portion of the funds will be dedicated to addressing the backlog of teacher promotions, a longstanding issue that has left many teachers waiting for years for their rightful advancements, resulting in low morale and dissatisfaction within the profession.
The allocation will also help settle pending salary arrears for teachers, ensuring that they receive their dues on time. This is particularly important for teachers who have faced financial strain due to delayed payments.
The TSC plans to use part of the funds to recruit additional teachers, addressing the severe teacher shortage in many schools. This is expected to reduce the teacher-student ratio and improve the quality of education.
The funding will also support teacher training and professional development programs, equipping educators with the skills and knowledge needed to adapt to modern teaching methods and technologies.