By Roy Hezron
A total of 26 teachers have been sacked, removed and de-registered by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) from the Register of teachers for presenting forged certificates during recruitment of teachers.
This is among the 64 teachers the Commission fired, removed and de-registered them this year where 38 teachers were removed and deregistered from the register of teachers following disciplinary process.
In a gazette notice number 4438 dated April 14, 2022 TSC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Njeri Macharia stated that the de-registered teachers will not be reinstated back to the register of teachers unless by the direction of the Commission.
“In exercise of powers conferred by section 30 (1) (e) of the Teachers Service Commission Act Chapter 212 of the Laws of Kenya, the Commission wishes to notify the public that the persons whose names are specified in the Schedule herein below have been removed from the Register of Teachers pursuant to the provision of section 30 (2) of the Teachers Service Commission Act,” reads the notice.
In July 2021 during recruitment of teachers, the Commission published a list of 62 candidates (teachers), who were ineligible for employment; whereby out of the 62 candidates (teachers) at least 13 had issues to do with forged or fake certificates.
She warned that any schools or institutions that will allow the de-registered teachers to teach or assist in teaching in their schools or institutions shall be guilty of an offence and will be liable to a fine of not less than Sh 100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both, since the de-registered teachers cease to be teachers with effect from the date of the notice, which is April 14, 2022.
“Where the name of any teacher is removed from the register under this Act, such name shall not be reinstated except by direction of the Commission. A teacher whose name has been removed from the register shall cease to be a teacher for purposes of this Act with effect from the date of such removal. A person shall not engage in the teaching service unless such a person is registered as a teacher under this Act.
“Further to the provisions of the TSC Act, Regulation 18 (1) (c) (d) of the Code of Regulations for Teachers as read together with section 45 of the TSC Act provides that any person who not being a teacher under the Act teaches or assists in teaching in any school; suffers or permits or employs in any school a person not being a registered teacher shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine of not less than one hundred thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both,” warned Dr. Macharia in the notice.
In October 2021, TSC de-registered 43 teachers for various professional misconducts and warns private and public schools against hiring them.
In May 2021, some 52 teachers lost their job after being de-registered over indiscipline cases while in November 2020; another 50 were fired over the same.
According to TSC Act of 2012, the disciplinary offences that may make a teacher lose his or her job and be removed from the Register of teachers are immoral behavior which including but not restricted to sexual intercourse, sodomy, lesbianism and sexual harassment or flirtation.
Professional misconduct including but not restricted to negligence of duty, lateness to duty, chronic absenteeism, desertion, incitement and insubordination; Infamous conduct including but not restricted to drunkenness, fighting and conduct or behavior which in the opinion of the Commission contradicts the spirit and tenor of Chapter six of the Constitution.
Other offences are forgery, mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds, and any other act or conduct that is incompatible with the teaching profession.
However, as per the TSC Act, 2012 and the Code of Regulation for Teachers (CORT), the Commission may on its own motion or upon application by a teacher direct that the removal of the name of the teacher from the register be confirmed; or the name of the teacher be reinstated to the Register.
It provides further that a teacher whose name has been removed from the Register shall only be eligible to apply for reinstatement to the Register after a period of eighteen (18) months from the date of such removal.
In January this year, the Commission rolled out a programme that is targeting a total of 25,000 teachers who will undergo a one-year Induction, Mentorship and Coaching (TIMEC) programme in the Commission’s strategy meant to reduce rising cases of indiscipline among tutors in public schools.
According to TSC the programme is expected to increase teacher effectiveness, job satisfaction, commitment, improved classroom instruction, teacher retention and improved learning outcomes.
The [TIMEC] programme which is to be rolled out by June 30, 2022 in all parts of the Country will basically target newly recruited teachers in public institutions including those on internship; serving teachers who are newly appointed to administrative positions of Principals, Headteachers, Deputies, and Senior Masters and Teachers; and teachers experiencing challenges in professional conduct and performance, and those who have been taken through the discipline process to reform.
