Teachers who have overstayed in one job group have a reason to smile after the government through the National Treasury allocated Ksh1.1 billion to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for promotion of teachers across various cadres.
However, the allocated amount has raised concerns as to whether the Commission will meet its target of promoting a total of 12,634 teachers in the next 2023/2024 Financial Year which starts in July 1, 2023 after requesting Ksh2.17 billion in its budget that it represented before the National Assembly departmental Committee on Education on February 14, 2023.
The TSC’s estimated budget entailed a total of Ksh600 million to promote a total of 4,595 primary school teachers from a promotional grade of C1 to C2, another Ksh1 billion to promote 4,750 diploma teachers from C2 to C3; Ksh400 million to promote another 2,637 graduate teachers from C3 to C4; and Ksh175.03 million to promote a further 652 graduate teachers from D3 to D4.
A number of school deputy heads and acting principals in Embu County who spoke to Education News revealed that they have remained in the same grade for more than 10 years, and that had their years of experience and academic qualifications been put into consideration they would have been moved up three grades upwards.
“Presently, we comprise a large number who have remained at the same grade yet some of those who have been lucky were promoted three grades up”, a head teacher in a school in Manyatta Constituency told Education News in confidentiality.
Regarding the issue of shunning administrative positions in schools despite being qualified, the teachers noted that they fear being intimidated by TSC senior officials and also being sacked.
The teachers confessed that senior TSC officers were too ruthless in tackling even the most minor mistakes, while the employer often preferred uncouth and inhumane levels of disciplinary action where punishments were extreme.
Due to the rising levels of intimidation and extreme disciplinary action, most of those qualified to ask for promotion said they would rather avoid responsibility than expose themselves to what mostly turned into devastating punishment.
“The TSC has been ruthless in dealing with some of the slightest mistakes in dealing with personnel and students discipline as well as handling of funds with those caught up in any mess being summarily dismissed,” alleged a primary school head teacher.
By Robert Nyagah
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