The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has come under sharp criticism from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary for Western Region, Patrick Chungani. Speaking on May 31 during an Education Day event at St Agnes Shibuye Girls in Shinyalu Constituency, Chungani condemned the TSC’s practice of distributing employment letters at funerals, likening it to selling groundnuts. He argued that such practices degrade the teaching profession and contribute to the low morale among teachers.
Chungani pointed to the TSC’s selective and limited hiring processes as a major factor in the declining quality of education and the low morale in the sector. He highlighted that many teachers who graduated between 2008 and 2010 remain unemployed, while some newly hired teachers are already approaching retirement age, thereby minimizing their pension benefits. “We cannot have quality education and good performance without good staffing and enough teachers,” he emphasized.
Kakamega County KUPPET Chairman Johnston Wabuti echoed these concerns, revealing that out of 4,300 teachers eligible for promotions in the county, only 800 were promoted. This left 3,500 teachers with pending promotions, causing a shortage of deputy positions in many institutions.
The event, organized by area MP Fred Ikana, also saw recognition of academic excellence, with St Peter’s Seminary, Sacred Heart Mukumu Girls High, and Mukumu Girls Primary School receiving top honors. Ndindi Nyoro, the chief guest, alongside MP Ikana, launched a new building project at St Albert Shanjero Secondary School.
Electine Kisiang’ani, Principal of St Agnes Shibuye Girls, lamented the shortage of teachers in her school, which has over 1,300 students. “We needed 63 teachers but we have only 27,” she said, noting that the Board of Management (BoM) has to use a significant portion of the budget to pay for an additional 40 teachers.
The guest of honor, Nyoro, awarded Simon Watenge, Principal of Shanderema Secondary School, a trophy for his outstanding leadership, highlighting the ongoing efforts to improve educational standards despite significant staffing challenges.