The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) introduced watertight systems to ensure fairness in the promotional interviews concluded recently.
In the guidelines that were released by the commission to guide the process, which mostly targeted school administrators to fill 13,713 vacant positions that were advertised in January 2023, the interviewing panels consisted of three members, each assigned questioning areas.
All the three panel members were then required to give their individual scores for each question asked as responded to by individual candidates.
The total score for each member of the panel was then required to be recorded in the individual score sheet, with each panel member signing on the individual score sheet on which they had entered the marks.
The final score for each candidate was the average mark derived from each panel member’s individual score.
The average score was then entered in the average score sheet where all the 3 panel members were required to sign on the average score sheet.
The remarks column was only required to be filled only when it is necessary; for instance when a candidate is absent, has not been interviewed, or is a special needs person.
Thereafter, the interview results were required to be submitted in soft copy on a daily basis for each candidate (advert-by-advert) to TSC staffing director, with the commission directing that the Folio Numbers for the candidate to mandatorily remain as given in the original list.
The interviewing panel consisted of the TSC sub-county or county directors as chairpersons and representative of the commission Chair.
The sub-county directors on the other hand represented the commission secretary, and the sub-county or county human resource officer represented the staffing director. Each panel had an administrative assistant.
The chairperson was in charge of the interview panel, and would assign questioning areas to the panelists and monitored the interview process to ensure its objectivity and professionalism in line with the advert requirements.
The representative of the commission secretary was the secretary to the panel and took notes on the proceedings, validated the candidate’s documents, and made recommendations to the panel as appropriate.
At the end, this officer compiled the interview report (in consultation with other members of the team) for submission to the regional director.
The representative of the director provided support to the chairperson and commission secretary representative in conducting the interviews, while the administrative support officers were charged with the responsibility of arranging interview rooms and interview materials, organizing candidates and their documents, and notifying the panels of any anomalies on the documents.
Nevertheless, the interviews were monitored by the TSC commissioners headed by the chairperson Dr. Jamleck Muturi John, with the overall coordination of the entire process being undertaken by the Commission Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia.
The TSC regional directors coordinated the interview process in their regions and provided technical and professional advice and support to the interview teams, while the county directors were tasked with inviting candidates from their regions.
Other roles include inducting the interview panelists on the interview guidelines and processes, providing the required interview materials to panelists on a day-to-day basis as per schedule, and addressing any emerging issues.
The interview panel then was required to collate and compile a report on the interview exercise, which entailed interview venues, dates, panel members, number of candidates shortlisted, those interviewed, those not interviewed giving reasons, the general observations and emerging issues during the interview, and suggestions for improvement, way forward and interventions. This is to be submitted to the staffing director.
The commission intends to promote a total of 73 teachers to the position of Chief Principal (regular secondary school) T-Scale 15, while 4 will be Chief Principal (SNE secondary school). Principal positions for regular secondary (T-Scale 13) will go to 602 candidates as their SNE counterparts take 8.
Others are Deputy Principal I T-Scale 13 (17 teachers), Deputy Principal II T-Scale 12 (725), and Deputy Principal III for regular secondary school T-Scale 11 (224), with their SNE counterparts taking 15 slots.
Senior Master II T-Scale-11 will have 208 teachers, Head Teacher (regular primary school) T-Scale 10 will accommodate 2,733, as SNE carries 32.
A total of 7,720 teachers will become Deputy Head Teacher II for regular primary school (T-Scale 9) as SNE takes 22. 1,330 teachers will be promoted to Secondary Teacher I T-Scale 8.
By Education News reporter
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When will be the results for the interviews be out? Otherwise it was a good exercise