MPs to Repeal TSC Act as KUPPET Pushes for Teacher Representation in the Commission

MPs to Repeal TSC Act as KUPPET Pushes for Teacher Representation in the Commission.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary School Teachers (KUPPET) Chairman Omboko Milemba has revealed that Members of Parliament are in the process of amending the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act to allow for proper representation of teachers within the commission.

The Emuhaya Member of Parliament expressed confidence that such a move would provide a platform for addressing the needs of teachers, similar to other constitutional commissions. He affirmed that this legislative push aims to resolve challenges affecting teachers through direct representation.

“Our challenges can be handled and fixed by having a representation in TSC. We are working on a bill that will change the TSC act so that we have a representative of teachers in the commission so that the needs of teachers can be handled well just like other commissions,” he said.

In his remarks, Milemba also applauded the government for employing 76,000 teachers, recognizing it as a significant achievement in enhancing learner support. However, he urged the government to prioritize the employment of P1 teachers who graduated between 2011 and 2015, emphasizing the need to absorb this group into the system to further strengthen the education sector.

“The government has employed 76000 teachers and that’s a big step. My clerical call is for the P1 teachers who left colleges from 2011 to 2015 to be employed.

Plans to Repeal TSC Act

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has voiced strong criticism of current teacher training policies and the structure of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), calling for major reforms, including a repeal of the TSC Act.

Barasa argued that when a country transitions from one education system to another—such as from 8-4-4 to CBC—it is the government’s responsibility to finance retraining for teachers, since the teachers are not the ones initiating such curriculum changes. He emphasized that any training required to align teaching skills with new syllabi should not be a financial burden on educators.

He also criticized the current requirement for teachers to self-fund specific courses in order to qualify for promotion. Barasa insisted this decision should be reversed, and that the Government of Kenya must bear the full cost of such capacity-building initiatives.

The MP announced his intention to repeal the Teachers Service Commission Act to ensure the inclusion of actively serving teachers in the Commission’s leadership. His proposed amendment would mandate that at least three TSC commissioners be practicing teachers—one each from the primary, secondary, and tertiary education levels—rather than retirees.

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Barasa also called for fairer administrative procedures regarding teacher transfers, proposing that, like other civil servants, teachers should receive a minimum six-month notice before being moved from one workstation to another, to allow adequate time for personal and professional planning.

He warned against the politicization of teacher employment, saying the situation in schools today is deeply troubling. Barasa highlighted the unfairness in teacher recruitment processes, citing examples of individuals who graduated over a decade ago remaining jobless, while more recent graduates have already secured employment.

MPs to Repeal TSC Act as KUPPET Pushes for Teacher Representation in the Commission.

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