TSC Delays Teacher Deployment to Junior Secondary and Special Schools: Reasons.
Teachers aspiring for deployment to junior secondary and special schools will have to wait longer, as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has postponed the process due to other pressing responsibilities.
The Commission’s officials have clarified that the deployment exercise cannot proceed in light of current demands.
One official explained that TSC is focused on two critical tasks: ensuring the success of the upcoming national exams and assessments, and overseeing the current teacher recruitment process.
As a result, promotions to junior secondary schools (JSS) and special units will not be possible until the completion of these tasks.
Though the officials did not disclose when the first phase of the 2024–2025 teacher deployments will begin, TSC had previously scheduled the deployment of practicing primary school teachers to serve in special schools and JSS for September this year.
Planned Deployment and Promotions
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia confirmed the Commission’s intent to promote over 18,057 primary school teachers to teach in JSS and special schools.
She also indicated that 3,600 teachers from both primary and secondary schools would be deployed to serve in special schools and units.
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While addressing the Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Committee, Macharia mentioned that the deployment process would begin in September 2023, with additional phases planned for January and June 2024.
Teachers targeted for deployment include those with Diplomas and Degrees in Special Needs Education (SNE). The phased approach to deployment was necessitated by budget limitations, according to Macharia, as she explained to the Committee chaired by Hon. Adan Haji.
Macharia further reported that the country’s Special Needs Schools are currently short of 5,362 teachers.
In response to this gap, TSC had hired and deployed 1,763 teachers in May 2024. Teachers with SNE Diplomas will be posted to special schools in line with their areas of expertise.
Junior Secondary Teacher Needs and Staffing Challenges
For junior secondary schools, the Commission stated that a total of 70,000 teachers are required to handle grades 7, 8, and 9. Currently, TSC plans to deploy over 20,000 Primary Teacher Education (PTE) teachers who hold various Diplomas and Degrees in education-related fields.
Teachers in grades B5 and C1 who possess bachelor’s degrees will be promoted to grade C2 with appointment letters. Similarly, teachers in grade B5 with diplomas in education will be appointed to grade C1.
Additionally, teachers at grade C2 with bachelor’s degrees, promoted on or before March 26, 2021, will be elevated to grade C3. Those at grade C1 holding diplomas, and promoted within the same timeframe, will move up to grade C2.
However, some teachers with diploma certificates at grades C1 and C2 who have not served for at least three years will receive deployment letters without being promoted.
Data Collection for Deployment
The Commission has generated lists of teachers eligible for deployment, gathered from its county databases.
These include P1 teachers with various Diploma and Degree certificates, eligible for deployment to grade nine.
TSC also collected additional data from Heads of Institutions (HOIs), which will be followed by document verification and subsequent teacher postings at the sub-county level.
In an Excel template, TSC requested that primary school heads provide details such as teachers’ KCSE mean grades, areas of specialization (e.g., Bachelor of Education in Arts, Science, or Early Childhood Development Education), and two teaching subjects for those with a secondary option.
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Deputy headteachers and headteachers were also included on the deployment lists. The staffing crisis in junior schools has forced TSC to lower the requirements for teachers, allowing those with degrees in primary options, Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE), and SNE to qualify for deployment.
Previously, teachers needed a degree in secondary education, a minimum of C+ in KCSE, and C+ in two teaching subjects to be eligible for deployment to junior secondary schools.
TSC Delays Teacher Deployment to Junior Secondary and Special Schools: Reasons.
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