By Achola Mathews
and John Majau
Teachers in Bungoma County have opposed the intended plan by the Teachers Service Commission to delocalize more than 10,000 primary school head teachers nationally starting from next term.
Speaking exclusively to Education News in Webuye town, the Bungoma East Executive Secretary, Mr Aggrey Namisi said the plan would cause breakdown of families and teachers are not going to accept the move by their employer.
Namisi said that if TSC fails to observe and address their concerns they should be ready for a massive strike come May when the schools reopen for second term.
He noted that the Government should only transfer teachers who have recently received their job promotions, but should not even imagine touching long serving head teachers.
His sentiments were echoed by Bungoma South Knut Executive Secretary, Mr Nganga Mulimo and their Mt Elgon branch counterpart Stephen Chemonges.
Meanwhile, a Unionist has opposed the planned delocalisation of teachers and called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to post them within their counties of origin due to security concerns.
Meru branch KNUT Executive Secretary Caxton Miungi said it is wrong for the employer to transfer teachers to volatile areas where they risk being victimised or attacked by terrorist simply because they don’t hail from the place they are posted to teach.
Speaking in Meru town he said that as a union they are totally opposed to the transfer of teachers to other regions and especially the principals and head teachers.
He said apart from the victimisation and security issues the transfers are separating families, spouses and causing a lot of discomfort and inconvenience to them.
“There are plans to transfer principles and head teachers from April of this year. We are opposed to the move. They should instead be transferred to schools within the county where they are comfortable and can deliver effectively,” said the Executive Secretary.
He said due to political zoning, the teachers may be victimised when political tensions between the main political competitors including parties, leaders and supporters threaten to boil overboard noting that in some places none local teachers are being isolated and referred using derogatory and abusive language.
Muingi said the locals use the local dialect to betray other teachers to the terrorists adding that to make the matters worst even the students at times also abuse the teachers.
“The best way forward is to ensure that locals are employed in their area in order to save life. Meru County is understaffed and needs about 3000 teachers. They should be absorbed in order to resolve the understaffing issue instead of transferring them to other counties”, said Miungi.
