The Teachers Service Commission has printed out 18 employment letters for teachers who have been working on Letters of Appointment from the Board of Management of Statehouse Girls High School in Nairobi. Soon, the tutors will work on permanent and pensionable terms. The letters are likely to be dispatched by Tuesday next week.
This follows a directive issued by President William Ruto when he visited the school recently. After a briefing from the School’s Principal, Mrs. Evelyn Nabukwesi, on the money struggles and low morale among its teaching force, President Ruto ordered their immediate absorption into the TSC payroll. Within one week, with the applauses of teachers, students, and parents, the TSC acted on this directive.
However, the move by the President has currently sparked controversy. The critics feel this move sidelines meritocracy because it bypasses the standard recruitment processes that TSC, as an independent commission, has followed in hiring teachers based on merit. As has often been the case, candidates have to undergo an internship program before securing permanent positions. Just like in past employment scandals where politicians were said to have influenced TSC recruitments, this current move raises concerns about political influence in the hiring process.
Since 2022, TSC has deviated from the earlier practice of advertising teacher replacement slots, instead channeling them through political brokers. This system brings about accusations of nepotism and the sidetracking of other more deserving candidates who have patiently waited for employment for many years.
At present, TSC has around 46,000 teachers on the payrolls under the terms of the internship. Beginning January 2025, the said interns, spread across junior and primary schools, are due for a change to PNP terms after the government set aside Ksh 18.7 billion for the same.
The newly appointed teachers to Statehouse Girls will start at grade C2, where the basic salary is between Ksh 34,955 and Ksh 43,694 after three years. They will also enjoy other allowances which include commuter, leave, house and hardship allowances, not forgetting comprehensive medical cover. There is an automatic promotion to job group C3 after three years of service.
While positive for the 18 teachers concerned, one welcomes their employment, but questions must be raised over what this says about TSC’s recruitment process and the risk of political influence.