In my 29th treatise on Competency-Based Education (CBE), I can say, the Non-Teaching Staff (NTS) in Senior School support learning pursuits. They ensure that teachers and learners have safe, salubrious and secure school environment: to facilitate teaching and learning process. In the new education dispensation, some members of NTS in Senior School include: School administrator or bursar, secretary or administrative assistant, accounts clerk, Human Resource Officer, librarian, store keeper, laboratory technician, ICT technician, caterer or cook, janitor or cleaner, security guard(s), Guidance and Counselling Officer, maintenance staff and driver(s).
The NTS members can be categorised into three namely: (a) Administrative staff made up of bursar, accounts clerk, secretaries and store keepers; (b) technical or specialised staff made up of nurses, ICT technicians, braille technicians, laboratory technicians, Kenya Sign Language (KSL) interpreters, caterers or cateresses, librarians and matrons; and (c) site staff who include gardeners, security guards and cooks.
Recruitment and Employment
It is incumbent upon the Board of Management (BoM) in Senior Schools in line with Section 59 (p) of the Basic Education Act (2013), regulations 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 of Basic Education Regulations (2015), and other existing labour laws to: employ, remunerate, promote, demote or terminate the services of any of its employees. NTS should be inducted, trained, and facilitated to get additional qualifications or specialisation required to assist them ascend to their assigned duties with efficiency. Then, NTS should be urged to privately undertake training for self-development and enhance self-efficacy. More importantly, the BoM should be keen to consult the Ministry officials in the department of Basic Education on all matters related to training of NTS.
Ideally, in relation to the right route of recruitment of Non-Teaching Staff in Senior Schools, the BoM should ensure that all vacancies are advertised adequately so as to eliminate biases. All advertisements should include job-descriptions that match the school needs without deviating from the approved scheme by the public service for that particular cadre. The BoM should get the approval to recruit NTS from the County Education Board (CEB). People recruited should be multi-skilled to the extent possible. Senior Schools should observe the recommended establishments depending on the number of streams and scheme of service in recruitment. For Special Needs Senior Schools, additional coteries of NTS can be recruited based on type of need to be addressed. All NTS in Senior Schools should adhere to the Public Service Code of Conduct.
Consequently, members of NTS have specific roles. In addition, they can be engaged in income-generating activities (IGAs) in Senior Schools such as school farming, laundry and baking. It is incumbent upon the BoM to develop human resource instruments for NTS for approval by the Ministry of Education department in charge of Basic Education. Likewise, BoM should recruit, employ, remunerate and discipline all members of NTS in accordance with Basic Education Act (2013), Employment Act (2017) and any other existing bona fide laws.
Moreover, there should be optimisation of the number of NTS in the school by utilising the recommended Staffing Ratios based on enrollment. For instance, (a) Administrative staff: 1 staff member for every 200-300 students; (b) support staff such as janitors and cooks; adjust ratios based on scale of facilities such as dining and boarding, ideally with one support staff for every 100-150 students; (c) security maintenance: High ratios may be required for larger schools or schools with expansive facilities; (d) speciliased staff: Such as lab technicians, ICT personnel, Braille technicians, KSL interpreter – 1 staff member per lab or ICT facility, scaled according to usage and demand.
Most importantly, the BoM in Senior Schools should: Develop and implement a clearly defined career structure, which will attract, motivate and retain sustainably qualified NTS. There should be lucid description of duties and responsibilities at all levels within the career structure: to enable the officers understand the requirements of their jobs. It is important to set standards for recruitment, training and career advancement based on qualifications, expertise, experience, competence, merit and ability as reflected on work performance.
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Additionally, there should be encouragement of job-sharing or role-diversification for NTS in smaller schools. Or where the enrollment nose-dives significantly. By the same token, BoM should undertake seasonal and part-time hiring, introduce technology where it deems fit and appropriate so as to reduce the need for large numbers of staff, out-source non-core functions like school nurse, and ensure that the NTS expenses align with the available budget, reallocating resources where it is necessary.
Benefits and Emoluments
In actual sense, Section 18 of Basic Education Regulations (2015) provides that those persons belonging to a professional cadre, and employed by the BoM shall be employed on terms and conditions similar to those recommended for equivalent posts in the wider civil service and as per the applicable scheme of service. Section 19 of the same Basic Education Regulation (2015) stipulates that the BoM may appoint suitable semi-professional and subordinate staff.
Then, the BoM should ensure there is the compliance with the matching grading structure and scope applied in public service on appointments, remuneration, promotion and training of professional cadre of NTS. Hire semi-professional and subordinate staff on competitive terms that observe the statutory minimum wage requirements. Operate a bank account for personal emolument including service gratuity. Ensure that the school pays NTS the recommended remuneration, which includes: Basic salary, house, medical and commuter allowance, as provided by the national government. Pay all NTS from an emolument account. There should be deductions and remittance of all statutory requirements for employees as stipulated in labour laws. For HoIs can be sanctioned for the flagrant failure to remit such deductions.
Finally, in the bid to improve the welfare and wellbeing of employees, the Management of Senior Schools should provide access to Employee Assistance Programme, appoint health and wellbeing leaders, and ensure the workplace is salubrious, safe and secure. There should be wellbeing workshops, provide employees with access to healthy food, and offer genuine flexible options. More importantly, the Management should eliminate major causes of workplace stressors such as workplace politics, bullying, harassment, embarrassment, poor communication, long working hours, unhealthy relationships and unsafe working conditions.
By Victor Ochieng’
Victor Ochieng’ is an Education Consultant. He trains members of the Non-Teaching Staff in schools. vochieng.90@gmail.com. 0704420232
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