Revealed: How TSC transferred 14,733 delocalized teachers across 47 counties

By our reporter

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has explained how 14,733 delocalized teachers were transferred to new stations across the 47 counties of the country, revealing the criteria used to move them.

Age, health, alternative abilities, promotion, proximity to home county, size and performance of school, category of school, and family were among the considerations, besides the ones contained in the Code of Regulation for Teachers (CORT) under Regulation 64.

While appearing before the National Assembly’s Education Committee on February 14, 2023, the commission’s Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr. Nancy Macharia said teachers aged 56 years and above had been exempted from transfer outside their counties.

“The commission evaluates each case on its own merit, taking into consideration availability and accessibility of medical facilities, among other factors,” Dr. Macharia told the legislators.

TSC has had to transfer teachers on promotion after a rigorous competitive process in a move it states is to staff schools with competent administrators.

“This has resulted in transfers being undertaken within the area of same environmental conditions, cultural orientation and geographical set up to ensure that service delivery is sustained,” said Dr. Macharia.

With signing of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and public schools being categorized as national, extra county and county schools, TSC notes that transfers have taken the same into consideration.

Accordingly, transfer requests on account of joining spouse or family are often given fair consideration on individual basis alongside other criteria governing the teaching service.

“The commission has ensured that to support family values, couples who are employees of the commission and have declared their marital status are not separated but where possible are transferred in the same neighbourhood,” she added.

TSC started implementing the delocalization of teachers in 2018 after it was provided for in the CBAs negotiated and signed between teacher Unions and the TSC in October 2016, which were subsequently registered at the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) in November of the same year.

The relevant part of the CBA provided that “In undertaking deployment, the commission shall endeavour to de-localize the administration of public educational institutions.”

However, the implementation of the policy was met with resistance both from teachers and Unions.

“To address the issues raised…the commission stopped implementing the delocalization policy, (but) has and continues to transfer teachers who apply for transfers back to their home counties. It should be noted that transfer is a continuous exercise pursuant to availability of vacancies and suitable replacements,” said Dr. Macharia.

The TSC boss further revealed that the commission has commenced review of the CORT, 2015 to address the emerging issues in the teaching sector.

In effecting transfers under Regulation 64 of CORT, considerations include the need for equitable distribution and optimal utilization of teachers, availability of vacancy in the proposed station, the need for replacement, existing staffing norms, medical grounds as certified by a registered medical practitioner, or such other grounds as may be deemed necessary.

Summary of teachers transferred