By Education News Reporter
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has introduced a watertight process to ensure only genuine teachers access loans.
In a Circular dated June 8, 2022 to all teachers on validation of data on TPAY system for teachers, the Commission’s Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia maintains that once a teacher’s mobile number is verified and captured in the system, it cannot be changed and it will be used during loan application and approval.
Teachers will be required to log into TPAY system through the pay slip page on TSC website where they are also required to enter and verify their mobile phone numbers. Once they enter their mobile number and the One Time Password (OTP) is sent to their mobile number, they will put the OTP to validate the mobile number by clicking on the validate tab to verification.
“Only a valid Code will be accepted and once verified, the number cannot be changed. The mobile number will be used during loan application and approval,” warns Dr. Macharia in the Circular which was copied to all TSC Regional, County and Sub-County Directors.
In a move likely to lock out non-compliant teachers from accessing pay slips, P9 forms and third party transactions online, teachers have until July 15, 2022 to provide the necessary information.
“The TPAY validation exercise takes effect from 9th June, 2022 and will close on 15th July, 2022. County Directors and Sub-Directors are directed to ensure that the contents of this circular are disseminated to all teachers serving under their respective jurisdictions,” she said.
The development follows a move by TSC to fill the necessary data on its TPAY.
“In order to enhance security of teacher’s information and in line with the Data Protection Act 2019, the Commission requires all teachers to update their TPAY profile,” noted Dr. Macharia in the circular.
For example, teachers will be required to upload a passport photo clearly showing the face, without glasses or head covered.
Teachers are also expected to enter and verify the official email issued by the Commission for ease of communication.
An OTP code will be sent to the email provided as only a valid code will be accepted to verify the email. The email will be used during loan application and approvals.
Consequently, the Commission will be able to authenticate teachers in its system after past reports indicated that teachers fall prey to fraudsters.
T-Pay enables teachers to access and print their pay slips which they present to commercial banks and Savings and Credit Co-operatives (Saccos) for loans and access to other services from third parties.
Other third parties include insurance, hire purchase, microfinance and Social Welfare Associations (SWAs).
Through the arrangement, a teacher uses TPAY to approve and monitor third party transactions where the Commission has an agreement to run monthly deductions.
Consequently, the inability to access the system means that teachers will not be able to know the deductions made and to what organizations.
The Commission requires heads of institutions to provide the necessary data, failure to which they will not have their data entered.
According to an insider from the Commission, secretariat staffs have already done this as a security measure for pays lips and money transaction issues for TSC employees.
The watertight process involves heads of institutions, sub county directors and county directors.
Heads of institutions are required to verify and approve the profile of teachers under their supervision within 30 days effective June 9, 2022.
Primary school heads will have their profiles verified by sub-county directors as county directors verify profiles of post-primary heads.
“Heads of institutions who will not have validated the particulars of teachers under their supervision within the stipulated time will not be able to access their TPAY accounts,” warns the Commission in the Circular.
The validation and verification for the more than 340,000 teachers is also an attempt to effectively address discipline amongst teachers.
Due to financial challenges, some teachers have overcommitted their pay slips through acquisition of loans from different financial institutions hence rendering them unable to meet their obligations.
This has led to stress related complications with those affected turning to excessive drinking and drug abuse leading to teacher absenteeism.
However, this is likely to pose challenges with past reports indicating that teachers spend class hours to visit nearest cyber cafes to upload the needed data.
Teachers have complained before on the slow speed of the TSC website thus reducing the contact hours with the learners and this naturally compromises syllabus coverage.
