The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is facing allegations of discrimination and the uncertain fate of contract-based junior secondary school teachers igniting parliamentary concern.
The Senate, led by nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri, sought clarity from the TSC, helmed by Nancy Macharia.
“Thousands of these educators, facing the prospect of extended contracts rather than securing permanent and pensionable positions, now threaten a January strike,” Okenyuri stated.
She implored the Senate Education Committee, chaired by Nyeri Senator Joseph Nyutu, to summon Macharia and elucidate the employment eligibility of these contract educators for permanent roles.
The senators further demanded answers on reported discrimination during regular replacement and recruitment exercises.
Okenyuri called for transparency on the total number of non-permanent and pensionable teachers, inquiring into annual hiring figures.
She urged the committee to unveil the TSC’s career growth plans for these contract teachers and pinpoint the relevant policies governing their advancement.
In Homa Bay, Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers voiced discontent, alleging a year of service without proper terms.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) echoed these sentiments, with teachers in Kwale similarly threatening a strike if not absorbed permanently by January 2024.
The saga extended to national unions like the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), which opposed contract extensions, citing a prior agreement for intern status.
The TSC, having initially promised to transition contract teachers to permanent roles, now faces parliamentary scrutiny and the specter of a teachers’ strike.
By Viola Chepkemoi
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