Curriculum support officers (CSOs) who were teaching in special schools before their promotions have come out to request the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to urgently address their continued earning of the special allowance.The officers are worried of the repercussions should the employer stop and recover what they have earned and spent.
“Since I was promoted to become a CSO in 2023, I have continued to earn the special allowance even after writing to the Commission about it “, said Laban. His worry mirror a number of his colleagues who were promoted from special schools and units across the country to go and support teachers and other stakeholders on matters special needs education.
The greatest worry that the officers have stemmed from the reality is, CSOs-SNE as per the current policy, are not entitled to a special allowance that the teachers they supervise at the school level do enjoy. TSC pays an additional sh10,000 to teachers handling learners with various categories of special needs in special schools.
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Recently, special needs curriculum support officers lamented to the Commission over failure to be considered for the special allowance.They claimed that it was unfair for the teachers they were supervising to get the allowance with them not being entitled to it yet they are involved in assessing, referring and placing the same learners.
“Maybe the commission is in the process of awarding all of us the allowance now that our colleagues who earned it while still teaching continue enjoying it”, commented Abdi, one of the CSO-SNE. TSC earlier this year reported of massive overpayment in its staff and anomaly that it latter claimed to have been corrected.
The Commission through the recent advert is in the process of recruiting an additional 134 CSOs-SNE who will be stationed in the Sub-counties.CSOs-SNE are responsible for sensitizing teachers and stakeholders on matters related to special needs. They also make learner assessment, referrals and placement among other duties.
By Naboth Murunga
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