The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will lose its major powers if the proposals by education reforms team are adopted in their final report.

TSC is created under Article 237 (1) of the Constitution commission with its functions being to recruit, register, employ, deploy, transfer, discipline and terminate teachers contracts.

However the taskforce now wants a separate body created and bestowed with the functions of regulation of the teaching profession.

This means TSC would only perform human resource functions and would relinquish regulatory powers to a separate entity.

Sources reveal that an amendment through an act of Parliament or referendum would be required to affect the changes to TSC powers.

It was also established that the Quality Assurance and Standards (QAS) functions presently being performed by TSC would be harmonised and centralised.

Ministry of Education also performs similar functions and to avoid duplication, task force members heard that TSC may also lose this mandate in new reforms.

TSC and the Ministry of Education have been at loggerheads over these functions as each issued different directives at County levels.

The task force now wants the government to ensure QAS is domiciled at the ministry and has exclusive authority to oversee the functions in all basic education institutions.

“Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards should be conferred with operational powers in law to enable it enforce laws, policies, guidelines of the ministry and any other Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) that pertain to basic education institutions,” the meeting heard.

The meeting also heard of proposals to review of the National Education Quality Assurance and Standards Framework (NEQASF), to consolidate and publish widely prescribed education standards for easy access by all stakeholders.

Sources in the meeting disclosed that a move to lower entry grade to teachers training colleges was also discussed and moving forward, some reforms proposed to streamline training.

Creation of TVET Commission that would be responsible for all human resource functions for staff in middle-level colleges was also proposed in addition to reviewing of capitation disbursement plan.

Team also wants TSC to employ nursery teachers, a function presently performed by county governments.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will lose its major powers if the proposals by education reforms team are adopted in their final report.

TSC is created under Article 237 (1) of the Constitution commission with its functions being to recruit, register, employ, deploy, transfer, discipline and terminate teachers contracts.

However the taskforce now wants a separate body created and bestowed with the functions of regulation of the teaching profession.

This means TSC would only perform human resource functions and would relinquish regulatory powers to a separate entity.

Sources reveal that an amendment through an act of Parliament or referendum would be required to affect the changes to TSC powers.

It was also established that the Quality Assurance and Standards (QAS) functions presently being performed by TSC would be harmonised and centralised.

Ministry of Education also performs similar functions and to avoid duplication, task force members heard that TSC may also lose this mandate in new reforms.

TSC and the Ministry of Education have been at loggerheads over these functions as each issued different directives at County levels.

The task force now wants the government to ensure QAS is domiciled at the ministry and has exclusive authority to oversee the functions in all basic education institutions.

“Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards should be conferred with operational powers in law to enable it enforce laws, policies, guidelines of the ministry and any other Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) that pertain to basic education institutions,” the meeting heard.

The meeting also heard of proposals to review of the National Education Quality Assurance and Standards Framework (NEQASF), to consolidate and publish widely prescribed education standards for easy access by all stakeholders.

Sources in the meeting disclosed that a move to lower entry grade to teachers training colleges was also discussed and moving forward, some reforms proposed to streamline training.

Creation of TVET Commission that would be responsible for all human resource functions for staff in middle-level colleges was also proposed in addition to reviewing of capitation disbursement plan.

Team also wants TSC to employ nursery teachers, a function presently performed by county governments.