By Education News Team
Over 10,000 Head teachers, Deputy heads, Senior teachers and Special Needs Education teachers whose schools have posted poor results in the last three years face transfers in April, Education News has learnt.
The transfers would also affect school administrators who have failed to utilise the teaching resources in Public schools to ensure delivery of quality education.
Also to be moved alongside under-performing school administrators are Head of institutions and their deputies who have overstayed in a station – nine years and over. To effect these transfers without further delay, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has ordered County Directors to compile lists of school administrators and Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers, outlining details of their schools’ performances in 2015, 2016 and 2017 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCSE) examinations.
The County Directors were also to capture the administrator’s TSC number; gender; age; Job Group; date of appointment to current grade; type of current school i.e. Boarding for girls or boys; day or mixed; enrolment e.g. 400, 500 etc; Sub-county; County and Home County.
The reports are to facilitate the Directorate of Teacher Management – Primary identify administrators who have overstayed in a station, and also non-performers.
The data provided was also to be used by the Directorate of Human Resource Management and Development to promote deserving cases; issue disciplinary warnings; and more importantly, assist in regulating rationalisation and redistribution of Senior teachers; SNE teachers in Special Schools and Special Units.
In an Internal Memo (TSC/SDD TMP/OUT/MEMO/2018) addressed to County Directors, dated February 8th, 2018 signed by Senior Deputy Director – Teacher Management – Primary, Mrs Dinah Mwaita; the exercise of compiling the school administrators’ data was to be completed by February 16th, 2018 for onward transmission to TSC Headquarters so as to effect the transfers during school holidays – April.
States Mwaita: “Further to our Memo Ref/TSC/DD TMP/OUT/MEMO/2017/78 dated December 6th, 2017; additional data is required as follows: (i) Details of all Primary school Head teachers, Deputy Head teachers, Senior teachers in your county, including those in Special schools. (ii) Details of all SNE teachers in Special schools/Special Units. The information should be received by February 16th, 2018.”
The memo is a follow up to circular (CS/TSC/2/VOL.XXIV/8) issued last year by Macharia where she directed County Directors to ensure effective curriculum implementation in Public learning institutions. The circular outlined measures for optimal engagement of teachers and school administrators.
The circular stated in part: “In order to optimally utilize the teaching resources in Public learning institutions, and ensure delivery of quality teaching service, the Commission reiterates the need for all teachers and Heads of institution to be available in school at all times to undertake the assigned teaching and administrative duties.”
The Commission Secretary said this is in line with the Code of Regulations for Teachers (20150); Recognition Agreements between TSC and unions and Collective Bargaining Agreements.
“In this regard, all County Directors have been directed to ensure that absence from school by teachers and Heads of institution is minimized at all costs. In particular, County Directors are required to ensure that where a teacher has to be away from school for whatever reason, including official assignment, written permission should be granted by the Head of institution, and the absence and reasons for the same recorded in the school logbook.
“Heads of Primary schools are to obtain written permission from TSC Sub-County Directors, while Principals will be granted the same by TSC County Directors. All Heads of institution that plan to be out of school on official assignment requiring the use of public funds should inform County Directors of Education in writing,” stated the circular.
In the very circular, County Directors were ordered to ensure that Government ministries, agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations undertaking education programmes that require teacher participation to schedule their activities for weekends and school holidays.
Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) and Kenya Primary School Heads Association (KEPSHA) conferences and related activities at all levels to be undertaken either during weekends or school holidays, more so, elected Sacco, union and societies officials would be required to reschedule their programmes also during weekends and school holidays.
“Activities that are not core to the teaching duties assigned to teachers and school administrative staff would not be carried out during class hours, more importantly, arrangements should be made for all classes to be attended to in the absence of the assigned teacher.
“In all cases, a make-up programme for untaught classes and/or lessons should be agreed on where absence is anticipated. The make-up arrangement should also be recorded in the log-book,” said Macharia.
The Commission boss advised the County Directors to ensure Heads of institution supervise the completion of syllabi, and should be covered adequately, with cases of non-compliant being brought to the attention of the County and Sub-county directors to take appropriate action.
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