A strong call has been made to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to stop immediately issuing employment letters to politicians and some senior government officers.
Unemployed teachers, unions, and education lobby groups continue admonishing the Commission for its action, which they say is completely contrary to its mandate.
Since January of this year, politicians and senior government officers across the country have issued more employment letters.
This action has resulted in the entry of recently graduated teachers onto the commission’s payroll, leaving out old ones who cannot access the letters by their status.
“TSC should come out boldly and make it known that they have changed the employment clause to give politicians and senior government officers power to employ on their behalf,” commented one member of an Education lobby group from Uasin Gishu county.
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Education News is privy to information that there’s always a bee hive of activity on MPs and senior government officers’ homes over the weekend.
“Unemployed teachers and their relatives are always seen heading to politicians’ homes as they carry employment letters from Nairobi,” agreed one Barongo from Migori county.
The vice has been reported to be quenching the hopes of thousands of teachers who have always believed that TSC is an equal opportunity employer.
The teachers have also lauded the recent calls by the teachers’ union to demand an audit of the recently conducted recruitment, where merit lists were not publicly scrutinised.
“Firstly, What is making the Commission issue employment letters to the politicians? Secondly, who in the commission has the guts to entrust the same politicians with responsibility that the law only gives to the commission? asked an agitated KUPPET official from Bungoma County.
The issue of persons outside the Commission’s circles issuing employment letters caught headlines two years ago at a function in Kisii, where a cabinet secretary publicly issued an employment letter in full view of the media to announce the employment of a primary school teacher.
As the disturbing menace gains traction in the employment sector, stakeholders are calling upon EACC to expeditiously take action and get a satisfactory answer from TSC regarding employment gone overboard scenarios in the country.
By Naboth Murunga
