The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has given teachers who failed to comply to its directive last year an opportunity to declare their wealth.
The teachers are now required to login to the TSC online wealth declaration portal and state the number of assets they own, their liabilities and their sources of income by Tuesday midnight.
Some teachers are however reporting problems in opening the link which will allow them to declare their wealth.
In February the Commission had issued thousands of show cause letters to teachers who failed to declare their wealth last year and was planning to take disciplinary action against them.
The Commission, which has shared the list of teachers who failed to declare their wealth with Sub County Directors (SCD), had asked the teachers to give reasons why disciplinary action shouldn’t be taken against them.
“Unless a satisfactory reason is given by Monday next week the teachers stand to miss their salaries,” one of the Sub County Directors had warned teachers through a text message sent to school heads.
Teachers just like with other public service employees, are required to declare their wealth after every two years.
According to Section 26 and 27 of the Public Officer Ethics Act (POEA) all Public Officers are required to declare their Income, Assets and Liabilities (IALs) every two years.
The previous wealth declaration was done in 2021.
In a Circular number 12/2021 dated 4th October 2021 addressed to all TSC heads of institutions and teachers and copies sent to Regional and County Directors, the Commission ordered teachers to declare their wealth by 31st December 2021.
The Commission said any declarations made after the midnight of 31st December, 2021 will not go through.
The Commission CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia also warned of dire consequences for teachers who fail to comply.
“Any teacher employed by the Commission who fails to submit the declaration or gives false or misleading information will be liable to a fine of Kshs 1,000,000 or be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year or both upon conviction,” said Nancy Macharia.
She further said, the teacher will be subjected to administrative disciplinary action as per the TSC Administrative Procedures on DIALs (Declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities).
She said all teachers employed by TSC must declare Income, Assets & Liabilities. These include teachers on:
• Leave of whatever nature
• Interdiction
• Suspension
• Authorized absence of duty
The teachers employer had said teachers who have been in employment for a period of less than two years should submit their Initial declarations because the system is customized to facilitate this.
TSC ordered Heads of Institutions to monitor the declaration progress in their respective institutions and report on non-Compliance by 31st December, 2021.
In a bulk SMS sent to teachers on 3/11/2021 the Commission said the Wealth Declaration exercise is ongoing and asked those who have not started to do so.
“Dear Mrs Kimani, this is to inform you that the wealth declaration exercise is ongoing and will end on 31st December 2021. Access the Declaration of Income, Assessts and Liabilities (DIALs) Instructional manuals on www.teachersonline.tsc.go.ke Avoid the last minute rush, file your declaration early as advised through Circular no. 12/2021 sent to your email,” read SMS sent to Jane Kimani, a teacher in Nyandarua.
But not all teachers were able to declare their wealth according to the Commission.
The Commission said teachers must have two key requirements to declare their wealth. Apart from smartphone, computer/laptop, TSC said teachers must also have an active official email address in the format @tsc.go.ke.
“The Declaration can only be accessed by individuals who have activated their official @mwalimu.tsc.go.ke email address. This will be vital for user-credibility, setting, accessing and resetting individual passwords for the Declaration as applicable. A copy of the submitted Declaration will automatically be sent to the teacher’s email,” said Nancy Macharia.
TSC asked teachers to ensure the information filled is accurate and that they ensure they receive a copy of the duly filled declaration in their email as confirmation of successful submission.
The Commission said all sections of the declaration should be filled completely and that incomplete declaration forms will be rejected by the system.
The Commission said it will not accept any physical (hard copy) form as a confirmation of declaration.
Below is the Wealth Declaration Circular 12/2021 dated 4th October 2021 addressed to all TSC heads of institutions and teachers and copies sent to Regional and County Directors.
ONLINE DECLARATION OF 2019-2021 INCOME, ASSETS & LIABILITIES (DIALs)
Section 26 & 27 of the Public Officer Ethics Act (POEA) requires all Public Officers to declare their Income, Assets and Liabilities (IALs) every two years. The previous declaration was done in 2019.
Consequently, all employees are expected to make their Declaration by 31st December 2021.
I. MODE OF DECLARATION
In order to enhance efficiency, the Commission introduced an online declaration portal. Each employee is expected to fill an online declaration following the steps outlined in the Declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities (DIALs) Instruction Manual.
II. ACCESSING ONLINE PORTAL
The Declaration Form can be filled and submitted by accessing the Teachers Online Portal through https://teachersonline.tsc.go.ke
Take note that one can access this information using a computer, laptop, lpad or a smart phone.
Ill. INSTRUCTION MANUAL
A “Do-it-yourself” instruction manual has been provided and is available on the TSC website https://teachersonline.tsc.go.ke under the Download Manual link, immediately next to the Declaration link. One can complete the Declaration process by following the prompts in the form after logging in.
IV MONITORING OF THE DECLARATION
All Heads of Institutions are required to update the TMIS records for their respective schools by 15th September, 2021 to enhance efficiency and accountability of the DIALs process.
Heads of Institutions are also required to monitor the declaration progress in their respective institutions and report on non-Compliance as reflected in Part B in the DIALs Instruction Manual by 31st December, 2021.
V ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
(a) Employees who have been in employment for a period of less than two (2) years are expected to submit their Initial declarations and the system has been customized to facilitate this.
(b) All teachers employed by TSC are required to declare their Income, Assets & Liabilities. These include teachers on:
• Leave of whatever nature
• Interdiction
• Suspension
• Authorized absence of duty
(c) Any teacher employed by the Commission who fails to submit the declaration or gives false or misleading information will be liable to a fine of Kshs 1,000,000 or be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year or both upon conviction.
Further, the teacher will be subjected to administrative disciplinary action as per the TSC Administrative Procedures on DIALs.
(d) The Declaration can only be accessed by individuals who have activated their official @mwalimu.tsc.go.ke email address.
This will be vital for user-credibility, setting, accessing and resetting individual passwords for the Declaration as applicable.
A copy of the submitted Declaration will automatically be sent to the teacher’s email.
Ensure that:
(i) The information filled is accurate.
(ii) You receive a copy of the duly filled declaration in your email as confirmation of successful submission.
(iii) All sections of the declaration are filled completely. Incomplete declaration forms will be rejected by the system.
The Commission will not accept any physical (hard copy) form as a confirmation of declaration.
Teachers are encouraged to make their Declarations early to avoid last minute rush that may lead to system congestion or downtime.
The system will be opened with effect from 1st October, 2021 to midnight of 31st December 2021 to facilitate the exercise.
Note that declarations made after the midnight of 31st December, 2021 will not go through.
Guidelines for the Declarations will be available in the TSC Website.
DR. NANCY NJERI MACHARIA, CBS
SECRETARY/CHIEF EXECUTIVE
