TSC Under Fire for Transferring 47 Teachers From Turkana Without Replacements.
The Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) has raised concerns over the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) decision to transfer multiple teachers from Turkana County to Baringo County without assigning replacements.
During a press briefing on Saturday, February 8, KESSHA Secretary Michael Ejikon criticized TSC for transferring more than 47 teachers from different schools in Turkana County without providing replacements.
He asserted that the Commission had deliberately violated regulations by depriving children in marginalized communities of their right to education, which is a fundamental government obligation.
His views were supported by Areman Simon, the Kenya Union of Post Primary School Teachers (KUPPET) representative in Turkana. Simon accused TSC of undermining the education system in the region.
He cited an instance where almost all the teachers from a particular school were transferred without replacements, leaving the institution in a state of dysfunction.
Forced Transfers and Their Impact
Simon further elaborated that, despite some teachers refusing the transfer orders, TSC proceeded with their relocation forcefully.
He questioned the rationale behind transferring five teachers from a single institution without a contingency plan, arguing that such actions severely disadvantaged the students of Turkana County.
In one particular case, Simon pointed out that a teacher from a neighboring high school was transferred despite having declined the move, highlighting the Commission’s lack of consideration for teachers’ preferences.
This is not the first instance where education stakeholders have voiced concerns regarding the acute shortage of teachers in secondary schools. The issue has remained unresolved, even though the government had earlier pledged to recruit an additional 20,000 teachers in January this year.
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Across the country, the lack of sufficient teaching staff has led to overcrowded classrooms, extended working hours for teachers, and a deficit of specialists in various subjects.
In October last year, TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia acknowledged that, despite having over 400,000 unemployed teachers in Kenya, the Commission faced difficulties in recruiting science teachers.
She pointed out that most schools lacked sufficient staffing in science subjects, significantly impacting the overall hiring process.
TSC Under Fire for Transferring 47 Teachers From Turkana Without Replacements
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