By Our Reporter
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has expressed concern over the manner post primary teachers are recruited, with all indications pointing to possible malpractices in the exercise.
Acting Director Staffing Division, Rita Wahome, decried the vices that have affected the quality of service delivery in the institutions as teachers who do not meet the cut end up in classrooms.
She identified the recruitment of teachers between January and July 2018 as the one full of anomalies and consequently rejected.
Besides resulting in wastage of resources, she warns that field officers involved, notably County Directors who are the overall officers in charge of the exercise could face disciplinary action.
“Being the overall officer in charge of the exercise in your county, this borders on negligence of duty,” she said in a circular dated 6th November 2018.
The circular titled ‘Rejected Post Primary Employment forms’ states that some selected candidates did not meet the minimum advertised requirements.
With reference no TSC/DS/RECRUIT18/VOL.3 the circular is addressed to all TSC County Directors.
Consequently, the concerns raised by the Commission might have been informed by complaints from other parties.
Besides, the Commission noted that those selected were teachers who had exited the service on numerous grounds were considered, when preference should have been given to applicants not previously employed by TSC.
She further warns: “Please note that such wastage will not be tolerated in future and could indeed result in disciplinary action”.
She advised that all principals involved and officers who represent county directors in the exercise should be adequately inducted prior to the exercise.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima noted that though the TSC template is rigid, some officers tried to circumvent the rules to recruit those who do not meet the qualifications.
“The template is very clear on who is supposed to be recruited but some officers might play around with it and recruit those who do not merit,” he said.
However, he said the Commission has a watertight system where those shortchanged can complain and the decision overturned.
In the event a candidate who did not meet the minimum threshold is picked and the Commission overturns the decision, schools incur expenses.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Kilindini Branch Executive Secretary, Dan Aloo, alleged that teachers are employed depending on their tribe, religion hence the exercise is riddled with favouritism.
“The Commission has failed to recruit teachers who meet the requirements as those currently responsible are determined to bend the rules and employ their own relatives and friends,” he said.
Aloo advised that to ensure those employed meet the required threshold, TSC should invite other parties such as the teachers’ unions to take part in the recruitment exercise.
KNUT Bomet Branch Executive Secretary Malel Lang’at supported Aloo saying teacher unions should be involved in the recruitment exercise.
“However, TSC field officers involved in the malpractices should be disciplined if they were found to have participated in the malpractices,” he noted.
Having other parties, Aloo noted, would enhance the scrutiny of the documents presented for consideration.
“To ensure that the exercise is above board, there is need to involve other parties so that documents presented can be scrutinised to ensure the minimum standards are met,” he noted.
On the wastage of resources, Nthurima agreed that schools incur the expenses as they have to reimburse allowances to the Board of Management (BOM) and any TSC official present.
“The school meets the Board of Management (BOM) allowances besides that of the TSC official present and this is an expense on the school,” noted Nthurima.
On those who exited the service but were shortlisted, Nthurima said that once a teachers leaves, it spells the end of ever working.
“The Commission locks out those who were sacked and even if your name is forwarded after the recruitment exercise, they will find a file on one and be barred,” added Nthurima.
The teachers’ employer operates a demand-driven policy in the recruitment of teachers. It hires an average of 10,000 teachers annually to replace those exiting service through natural attrition.
To bridge gaps in staffing levels in schools and colleges, the commission requires to hire about 110,000 tutors but lack of funds has made it impossible to achieve the target.
In the past, the National Assembly has been appropriating Sh2.5 billion annually for recruitment of 5,000 teachers.
As a stop gap, the Commission requested budgetary allocation of Sh16.2 billion to hire 68,000 interns to cater for the Government’s 100 per cent rate of students’ transition to Secondary school.
This is besides the Sh10 billion it had asked Treasury to recruit 22,000 teachers but this was not granted during the 2018/2019 financial year budget making process.
