Author: Hezron Rooy

TSC Employs Half of Teachers From 3 Tribes: 87% From 7 Communities The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has produced a new report revealing the three tribes that account for over half of the teaching profession.  It is now clear that the Kalenjin, Kikuyu, and Luhya tribes account for approximately half of the 406,860 teachers on the government payroll.  Kalenjin Tops The Kalenjin group, with 73,309 teachers, is the tribe with the most educators on the TSC payroll. The Kikuyu tribe comes in second with 64,937 teachers, followed by the Luhya community’s 60,912. The three tribes collectively account for 48% of…

Some CBC Subjects Lack Qualified Teachers—Hon. Mbui. Robert Mbui, the Member of Parliament for Kathiani Constituency, has raised the critical issue of teacher shortages in Kenyan schools. Speaking in Parliament, Mbui pointed out that despite claims of free primary and secondary education, many schools are severely underresourced in terms of teaching staff. He emphasized that parents often have to contribute money to pay for teachers, undermining the concept of free education. Mbui stressed that education primarily revolves around tuition, which includes paying teachers to provide essential services. Therefore, when parents cover the costs of teachers, the education system cannot truly…

Senate Drama as Onyonka and EACC Clash Over Uasin Gishu-Finland Scholarship Scandal. Tensions ran high in the Senate on Tuesday as Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka and officials from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) locked horns over the Uasin Gishu-Finland scandal. The dispute occurred during a session of the Senate Standing Committee on Labour and Social Welfare, which is investigating the multi-billion shilling scandal. The clash began when EACC Deputy CEO Abdi Mohamud appeared before the committee and demanded that Senator Onyonka substantiate allegations he had previously made against the Commission. Onyonka had publicly criticized the EACC, accusing it of…

University of Nairobi Student Association (UNSA) Issues 14-Day Strike Notice. The University of Nairobi Student Association (UNSA) has announced a 14-day strike notice in response to the government’s decision to create committees tasked with reviewing educational loans under a new scheme. The student association, led by President Rocha Madzao, has expressed strong discontent with this development, arguing that the proposed changes do not align with student needs or the nation’s educational goals. In a recent press statement, Madzao highlighted concerns about the creation of four committees designed to address issues related to the loan scheme. He emphasized that this move…

Protests at Kabete Polytechnic, Multimedia University as Students Clash With Police. Kabete National Polytechnic was indefinitely closed on Tuesday following student protests. The students took to the streets, voicing opposition to the recent hike in examination fees introduced by the institution’s management. Additionally, they protested against a newly enforced dress code. During the demonstrations, the students forced out Chief Principal Patrick Muchemi from his office and caused damage to the premises. Police from Kabete Police Station intervened to restore traffic flow on Waiyaki Way, which had been disrupted by the protestors. Following the unrest, the administration released a memo instructing…

Ruto’s University Funding Committee Appointments Spark Criticism. A 129-member committee, recently appointed by President William Ruto to review the higher education funding model, is already facing challenges before its official commencement. Concerns have been raised by university students regarding the committee’s composition and the selection criteria used for its members. It has come to light that while most committee members are university students, several universities have no representation. This has led to accusations of favoritism. Students have expressed frustration that some members are political activists associated with the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), and one member is a university dropout currently…

University Unions Strike Looming as Talks with Government Collapse. Efforts to prevent a nationwide strike by university lecturers and non-teaching staff have collapsed, paving the way for industrial action starting at midnight. This strike is expected to halt university operations and exacerbate the challenges facing the higher education sector. The University Academic Staff Union (Uasu) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (Kusu) have called for the strike, following student protests against the higher education funding model. The students’ strike ended just a week ago after government intervention. Uasu and Kusu had issued a strike notice on September 11, 2024. In…

TSC to Deploy Excess Primary Teachers to JSS to Address Teacher Shortage. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced a plan to deploy primary school teachers to both special and junior secondary schools nationwide by the end of this month. This move aims to alleviate the shortage of teachers. TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia recently informed the Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Committee that there is an excess of 18,057 primary school teachers. This surplus is the result of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) introduction, which led to the scrapping of Class 7 and 8. The Commission plans to address this…

Secondary Teachers Demand Allowance Increase for KCSE Exam Marking. Secondary school teachers have renewed their demands for higher allowances during the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, set to start on October 22, 2024. Represented by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), the teachers have requested an increase in their out-of-station allowances, asking for raises ranging from 750 to 900 percent. Proposed New Allowances Kuppet, through its Secretary-General Akello Misori, sent a letter to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba proposing the following new daily rates: Kuppet emphasized that the current payment structure is unsatisfactory and urged the…

TSC Summoned by MPs Over 46,000 Pending Teacher Confirmations. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) leadership has been summoned to appear before the Parliamentary Education Committee to address delays in confirming 46,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) intern teachers. Despite the allocation of Ksh18 billion for this process, the confirmation remains pending. Inquiry Into Delay Committee Chairperson Julius Melly explained that the committee will investigate why the confirmation process has not yet been completed, despite the substantial funding. While speaking in Tinderet constituency, he expressed a commitment to ensuring that all 46,000 JSS intern teachers are confirmed to Permanent and Pensionable status.…