By Denis Lumiti
A section of leaders from Kakamega County have called on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to put mechanisms in place that shall see tutors who exit the profession replaced immediately.
The leaders said that replacement of teachers who leave should not be pegged on the nationwide recruitment of new tutors.
“For instance, we have teachers who have just exited classroom for politics. So you find they have left voids in the schools they were stationed. This causes suffering to the learners as they have to wait for too long to get replacements,” said Khwisero MP Christopher Aseka.
The sentiments were echoed by his Shinyalu counterpart Fred Ikana who said that TSC should have a pool of teachers from whom they can immediately pick replacements for those who have died, rendered incapacitated or joined other fields.
“The annual recruitment of teachers should be divorced from replacements. The recruitments are meant to narrow the teacher-learner ratio while replacements are supposed to maintain the status quo to prevent widening of the existing imbalance,” he added.
The leaders said many teachers had left the profession this year alone with a number either securing political seats or jobs in county governments.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Kakamega County Chairman Patrick Chungani said over twenty of his members vied for various seats in the August 9 elections and a handful turned out successful.
“Several of our members exited TSC’s payroll and have left serious vacuums in their former stations. This must be addressed urgently,” he added.
Chungani was also in the race for the Muhanda Ward seat in Shinyalu Constituency but lost.
His Secretary Archadeous Liyayi, however, managed to clinch the Idakho Central Ward seat in Ikolomani Constituency.
Some of the teachers who have exited from TSC said they felt for their learners.
“I constantly miss my sons because I feel like I left them in the middle of the sea. My prayer is that they get a worthy replacement soon,” said Sylvia Muteshi who used to teach at St. Augustine Ilala Boys Boarding Primary School situated in Shinyalu but has now secured nomination to the Kakamega County Assembly.
Her remarks were seconded by another teacher Emmanuel Makokha who has been recruited by the Kakamega County Government as an advisor to Governor Fernandes Barasa.
