The Ministry of Education’s (MoE) recent recruitment of 300 Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) to strengthen monitoring of Competency-Based Education (CBE) has sparked widespread public criticism.
Teachers and members of the public have raised concerns over the recruitment process, claiming it did not follow the required Public Service Commission procedures, particularly the public advertisement of vacancies.
Speaking to Education News in Eldoret, Nakuru, and Nairobi, aggrieved teachers questioned how some candidates were allegedly handpicked for the positions without a formal public advertisement.
“It is quite shocking that public institutions have decided to bend the law on crucial processes that determine who holds public office,” lamented Aggrey Ndiema, a tutor based in Eldoret.
Further allegations indicate that some successful applicants may have received assistance from politicians and senior government officials during the recruitment process.
“A friend of mine told me she received her appointment letter from her Member of Parliament about two weeks ago,” claimed Chege, a teacher in Nakuru Municipality.
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Earlier this year, the MoE acknowledged a severe shortage of QASOs in several counties, with some regions reportedly having only three officers serving numerous sub-counties.
The Auditor-General’s report warned that the shortage was negatively affecting the implementation of CBE and hindering many learning institutions from meeting minimum education standards.
According to the 2020 Auditor-General’s report, the country’s 286 sub-counties faced a shortfall of 473 QASOs against the required 858 officers needed for effective inspection and monitoring of schools.
Reports further indicate that the newly appointed QASOs—drawn mainly from primary and secondary school teachers—are in the final stages of clearance with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) before assuming their duties as MoE field officers in their respective counties.
By Mark Jonyo
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