The Kenyan education sector has faced an array of challenges, particularly on the employment status of junior secondary school intern teachers. Not long ago, the Teachers Service Commission announced strategies to reinstate 742 Junior Secondary School intern teachers whose contracts had earlier been revoked. This is amidst efforts to ensure stability in the education sector and the effective implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
It is within these limits that the TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia, called upon the dismissed JSS intern teachers to appeal to the TSC as stipulated in the law. This would be a prerequisite procedure before they can be absorbed afresh. The call for rehiring comes after a period of strikes by these teachers demanding permanent and pensionable terms. The strikes were called off following an expectation that the National Assembly would pass the Finance Bill, 2024, which is likely to make a provision for funds.
At a past meeting of the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association in Mombasa, Ms. Macharia gave assurance that the government was determined to convert into permanent employees the teachers working in public schools. Indeed, adequate funds will be provided to enable the conversion process.
The Sh1 billion that the government has set aside will be used to hasten the promotion of more teachers, given the huge backlog of teacher promotions. The TSC promoted 36,504 teachers in the current financial and, in the last five years, a total of 71,212 teachers. However, generally, such promotions are a way of keeping teachers motivated, which fuels a drive in recognition and retention of the more experienced ones.
Ms. Macharia called upon the principals to ensure timely filing of payroll information for the new teachers to avoid salary delays and overpaid salaries. Principals are therefore called upon to report the teacher movements accordingly and update the TMIS for effective administration.
With the first lot of CBC learners set to graduate from junior secondary school next year, Ms. Macharia appealed to the school heads to prepare for the transition of leaners. TSC is preparing circulars to guide teachers in receiving students under the new curriculum. The preparation being done in ensuring schools have requisite infrastructure and resources to welcome CBC learners.
The case of the 46 000 JSS intern teachers, employed in 2019 remains an issue. Graduate teachers have been protesting against permanent employment and are arguing that with experience and qualifications, they deserve permanent employment. Their spokesman, Omari OMARI wanted a circular to confirm their permanent and pensionable terms once the Financial Bill, 2024 is passed.
Ms. Macharia said that TSC was still committed to the promotion and re-employment of teachers, and such shall equally contribute to the creation of a strong and efficient teaching workforce. Part of what the commission is doing towards clearing pending promotions, timely allowance payments, is in the right direction.