TSC breaking news on teachers promotion

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has moved to resolve a pending impasse over promotion of teachers in some parts of the country. This follows a petition by 16 teachers in Kajiado County who complained about being locked out of promotion by the commission.

This forced the TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia to host a team of leaders from Kajiado County on Friday 30th April 2021. The leaders (who included Hon. Ole Metito Katoo, George Sunkuyia, Judith Pareno and Mary Seneta) were making a follow up on the matter so as to reach an amicable solution.

In the petition, the teachers claimed that they have been locked out from leadership by a system introduced by TSC where only teachers who serve in Job Groups L, M and N are promoted to be headteachers, sub county directors and county directors.

“Through CPGs (Career Progression Guidelines) the Commission has been selectively promoting teachers to the said positions and, therefore, discriminating against deserving cases. All Maasai teachers in Kajiado, are being denied promotion opportunities as a result of the policy,” the petitioners said.

According to the petition, the policy has disadvantaged teachers in Kajiado County who have the requisite experience and skills an opportunity to get promoted.

The teachers say that none of the resident teachers in the county have attained the Job groups L, M and N.

The petitioners, wants the Senate to intervene with a view to have affirmative action by the TSC for appointment to leadership positions of resident teachers and the policy be reviewed to give priority for promotion to leadership positions to resident teachers after which other teachers serving in the county could be considered

Sources in the Friday meeting intimate that the team discussed teacher management issues affecting Kajiado County.

TSC Boss when she met leaders from Kajiado County.

A few days ago, Dr. Macharia appeared before the Senate Committee on Education so as to respond to the petition by the teachers in Kajiado County.

Nominated Senator Judith Pareno accused TSC of open bias and demanded investigations, claiming non-Masaai teachers from one community have taken over schools leadership in the “entire Masaailand”.

“All headteachers and their deputies are non-Masaai, most of them are from one community. We will be seeking to show the committee that there is discrimination,” complained Pareno.

On her defense, the TSC Boss told the Senators that the commission is guided by the Code of Regulations for Teachers in effecting promotion.

“To this end, all promotion above common cadre grades and to administrative positions are filled competitively as per the provisions of the Code of Regulation for Teachers and the Constitution of Kenya,” Said Dr. Macharia.

“Once a vacancy is established, the commission advertises the same through print and electronic media for interested teachers across the country to make applications for the positions.” She added.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is finalizing the interview results for teachers who attended interview for promotions conducted in February 2021. The interviews were carried out between February 8 and 19, 2021 at designated TSC County offices countrywide.

A total of 32,431 teachers who were shortlisted and interviewed. Also ongoing are promotions and deployments of primary school teachers (who have attained degrees) to secondary schools.

Also in the pipeline is Diploma teachers’ promotions interviews.