By Allan Kibet
Once a teacher has successfully completed college studies, the beginning of his or her career beckons.
After finishing training from college or university, a teacher will first have to register with the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) whose mandate is to: Register trained teachers, recruit and employ registered teachers, assign teachers employed by the TSC for service in any public school or institution, promote and transfer teachers, exercise disciplinary control over teachers, terminate the employment of teachers, review the standards of education and training of persons entering the teaching service, review the demand for and supply of teachers and to advise the national government on matters relating to the teaching profession.
Upon recruitment, a teacher will be issued with an offer of employment letter which will indicate where and when to report for duty. The letter will also outline the terms of employment and will include salary, period of probation, rules and regulations to follow. While in employment, TSC will require readiness to serve in any education institution in Kenya, and the teacher will further be required to serve at the initial station of posting for a minimum of five years.
The teacher will then be placed on probation for the first six months of employment after which, he or she will be required to apply for confirmation at least one month before the expiry of this period. TSC will determine whether to confirm or extend probation for another six months in case of poor performance after which the commission will either confirm or terminate the appointment.
Upon Confirmation into service, the commission will appoint the teacher to officially join the payroll and a document with the following details will be required to be filled: name, TSC number I/D and KRA pin, duty station/sub county and county, date of birth as reflected in the application, grade e.g. P1 Diploma graduate, the entry point in the scale attached to grade and the incremental month, salutation; male or female and the allowances payable such as house allowances, commuter allowance, leave allowances and hardship allowance where applicable.
Compulsory deductions that the teacher will be required to remit include; Pay as you earn (PAYE), National Hospital Insurance fund (NHIF) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF)
During employment, there are various types of leaves available to a teacher on application. He or she is expected to adhere to all regulations governing granting of leaves as provided in the code of regulations of teachers (2015). Application of leave should be done through the head of institution.
Types of leaves may vary from; annual leave where a teacher is granted 30 days every year, sick leave where a teacher will be required to present medical documents to the institution if he or she is unable to attend to duties due to sickness.
Other types of leaves include: maternity leave where a mother is assigned 90 days off duty, paternity leave where a father is assigned 14 working days, compassion leave, study leave, special leave, leave outside the country, leave of absence without pay and leave for spouses of diplomats.
A teacher’s exit from service can happen in the following ways:
- Resignation: a teacher, whether on probation, or permanent and pensionable terms of service from employment by will be required to give seven days or thirty days’ notice respectively and shall in any event pay an equivalent of seven days &one months’ salary in lieu of notice which is applicable.
- Transfer of service: A teacher who is offered employment by the public service commission will have his/her past service with TSC transferred to the new ministry.
- Release to other organization: A teacher can be released to join public universities, teachers unions, county governments and a body registered under the state corporations act.
- Resignation on marriage grounds: A female teacher may resign from service upon completion of five years continuous service, on account of marriage and with a view to marry.
- Retirement on medical grounds: A teacher may apply to leave the service or be retired on medical grounds. In both cases, approval of the director medical services will be sought.
- Retirement in the interest: A teacher can be retired in the public interest if his/her usefulness to the teaching service is diminished to the extent that is no longer in the public interest for the person to continue servicing as a teacher.
- Voluntary retirement: A teacher may apply to retire after attaining age 50 provided that he/she has served for 10 continuous years on permanent and pensionable terms.
- Compulsory retirement: This applies to teachers who have attained age 60. However, teachers with disabilities shall retire at age 65.
- Termination by the commission: The commission may terminate the employment of a teacher by giving one months’ notice in writing or paying one month’s salary in lieu of notice.
- Dismissal: Upon concluding disciplinary proceedings, the commission may dismiss a teacher on the grounds stipulated in code of regulations for teachers (2015).
