The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has finally responded on fate of thousands of teachers who successfully graduated with a PTE certificate but are yet to be employed by the Commission.
The Commission said whatever changes it is planning in the teaching profession will not be instantaneous as the changes are still debatable.
“Even if changes may come, they will be gradual. For now the issue is at debate level No final word yet,” said TSC on Facebook after inquiry.
Last week internet and social media was awash with disturbing news after it was revealed that TSC has no plans of employing P1 teachers in the near future.
In the plan contained in the Programme-Based Budget 2021, TSC will employ 15,000 secondary school teachers starting this financial year.
The Commission said it will employ at least 5,000 teachers annually in the next three years to curb looming crisis in secondary schools.
TSC however, says it has no plans to recruit primary school tutors, throwing into uncertainty the fate of thousands of unemployed P1 certificate holders.
According to TSC Primary schools will not get new teachers as the phasing out of the 8-4-4 system is expected to reduce the workload since learners will move to secondary school after Grade Six under the competency-based curriculum (CBC).
Primary school teachers, it said, will be employed through replacements after serving as interns.
TSC said it will engage the services of 5,500 interns on a one-year contract every year to plug staffing gaps in schools.
However only 2,000 interns will be posted to primary schools each year.
There are currently at least 300,000 p1 teachers yet to be absorbed into TSC payroll.
TSC has been allocated Sh281.7 billion for the 2021/22 financial year, up from the Sh266 billion it got in the current year.
Details of the plans are contained in the Programme-Based Budget 2021 estimates that also confirm TSC as one of the largest beneficiaries of funding from the exchequer.
TSC has been allocated Sh281.7 billion for the 2021/22 financial year, up from the Sh266 billion it got in the current year.
The commission has over the years struggled to address staffing shortages in schools and even with the recruitment of teachers, it will still be way short of optimal levels.
In the recent past, staff pay has taken up 99.4 per cent of the money received by TSC.
Curiously, the commission does not make reference to any provision for a new pay deal with the teachers.
TSC plans to deploy the 5,000 teachers to secondary schools as the institutions are expected to face a bigger shortage.
Some 3,500 interns will also be posted to secondary schools. The same number of interns will be engaged in each of the next two years.
This leaves thousands of unemployed teachers who hold the P1 certificate in uncertainty as the government is also doing away with the qualification.
Teacher training colleges will from this year launch a three-year diploma course in teacher education that is aligned to the CBC.
For tertiary institutions, only 67 tutors will be hired during the financial year and 68 others the following year.
The internship programme was started in 2019. Many enlist in the hope of landing permanent jobs when vacancies are announced.
A primary school intern gets a monthly stipend of Sh15,000 while a secondary school one is given Sh20,000.
There will be a double intake in January 2023 when the first CBC cohort transitions to junior secondary school while the last 8-4-4 pupils – currently in Std Five – will also report for Form One.
Secondary schools will have five classes instead of four that year.
When the CBC is fully implemented, secondary schools will have six classes – three for junior and three for senior – while primary schools will have two less than the current eight.
Teachers’ unions have not engage the employer for a new collective bargaining agreement even though the 2017-2021 one expires in a month.
The commission estimates that over the next three years, some Sh273 billion would be required in 2021/22, Sh274.7 billion in 2022/23 and Sh279.3 billion in 2023/24 financial years to pay teachers.
Read below on TSC guidelines for employing primary school teachers on permanent terms;
GUIDELINES FOR RECRUITMENT OF TEACHERS – PRIMARY SCHOOLS 2020/2021
1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION
(a) Following the advertisement for recruitment of teachers for Primary schools, you are required to conduct a selection exercise for candidates wishing to be employed and submit the County Merit List to the TSC Headquarters. The list should be ratified by the County Selection Panel.
(b) The selection panel will be expected to exercise the highest degree of transparency and accountability, as stipulated in the Public Officers Ethics Act and TSC Code of Conduct and Ethics (2015).
The TSC County Director is expected to induct members of the County Selection Panel on the relevant Sections of the Act and the CORT 2015 before the commencement of the selection exercise.
(c) The TSC County Director MUST ensure that the recruitment process is done in strict adherence to the laid down protocols by the Ministry of Health on containment of COVID-19 pandemic.
(d) All applicants must be registered teachers as per Section 23(1) of the Teachers Service Commission Act, 2012.
Applicants who are not registered do not qualify to be recruited.
(e) Applicants who apply tor confirmation of results from KNEC should give the address of the County Director where they submitted their application.
It is their responsibility to ensure that the results are received within 14 days after the verification of certificates.
(f) Applicants whose names differ in the certificates and/or identity card are required to present sworn affidavit on the differences in names.
(g) Applicants who re-sat either KCPE or KCSE examinations (or their equivalents) MUST present certified copies of the certificate(s) of the national examination(s) in question for all attempts.
(h) Applicants will be required to submit their applications to the Secretary Teachers Service Commission through online platform www.teacheronline.tsc.go.ke for the county where a vacancy has been declared.
(i) System generated Merit List will be sent to the County Director. Upon receipt of the Merit List, the County Director shall share with the Sub County Directors.
Sub County Directors shall use the Merit List to communicate selection date and venue in consultation with the County Director.
(j) During the selection, each applicant shall be given a serial number.
Applicants must present original and legible photocopies of the following, among other relevant documents:-
i) National identification card
ii) National Council of Persons with Disability (NCPWD) Card (where applicable);
iii) KCPE certificate or its equivalent (include certificates for attempts if one repeated exams);
iv) KCSE certificates or its equivalent (include certificates for attempts if one repeated exams);
v) PTE certificate;
vi) Certificate of Registration as a teacher
vii) Evidence of service as a teacher intern (where applicable);
viii) Sworn Affidavit where names appearing on the submitted documents differ;
ix) Primary and Secondary Schools leaving certificates and other relevant testimonials.
(k) All applicants, irrespective of gender, disability, ethnicity or Home County should be given equal opportunity. However, in case of a tie, consideration will be given on the following aspects in their order of priority:
i) Applicant (s) with disability(ies);
ii) Service as a teacher intern;
iii) Applicants who had not been previously employed by the Commission;
iv) Attainment of highest grade in Teaching Practice;
v) Give preference to applicants who graduated earlier;
vi) Quality of certificates presented i.e. higher aggregate KCSE grade should first be considered.
(I) The selection date and venue must be displayed on notice boards at the County, Sub-County and Zonal offices at least seven (7) days before the selection exercise.
(m) The selection panel shall vet each applicant to establish if he/she meets the requirements of the TSC advertisement.
(n) Applicants who were previously employed by the Commission MUST declare their past employment history and reason(s) for break in service (with evidence in break in service). Applicants who were previously employed by the Commission and FAIL to declare their past employment shall be disqualified. However, preference will be given to applicants who have never been employed by the Commission.
2.0. SUB COUNTY SELECTION PANEL
| i. | TSC Sub County Director | – Chairperson |
| ii. | TSC Sub County Human Resource Officer | – Secretary |
| iii. | Zonal Curriculum Support Officers (2) | – Members |
| TOTAL | 4 |
The sub-county Director MUST ensure that the Ministry of Health COVID-19 containment measures are adhered to by both panel members and the applicants at all times.
3.0 VERIFICATION EXERCISE
i. The TSC Sub County Director shall verify the TSC registration status of all applicants;
ii. The TSC Sub County Director shall present a list of all applicants to the Selection Panel;
iii. Applicants must appear in person before the Selection Panel on the set date.
3.1 AUTHENTICATION OF ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DOCUMENTS
a) Original academic and professional certificates shall be scrutinized to verify their authenticity.
b) The TSC Sub County Director shall certify photocopies of the certificates and other documents before forwarding them to the TSC County Director.
c) Any applicant(s) who present forged/fake academic, professional and other documents commit(s) an offence; shall be disqualified and can be deregistration in accordance with Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT).
3.2 SELECTION CRITERIA
Applicants shall be awarded marks as per the score sheet (Appendix 1 (a) and 1(b). Where applicants tie in scores, the panel shall refer to (k) of these guidelines.
4.0 DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO TSC COUNTY DIRECTOR
The Sub County Selection Panel shall be required to submit the following to the TSC County Director:
i. List of all applicants who presented documents for verification at the Sub County level (Appendix II);
ii. Sub County Merit List (Appendix III);
iii. Summary of complaints raised(if any) together with action taken;
iv. Minutes of the Sub-County Selection Panel duly signed by the Chairperson and Secretary.
4.1 COUNTY SELECTION PANEL
a) After submission of Merit Lists by the Sub County Directors, TSC County Director shall constitute a selection panel comprising the following members;
| i. | TSC County Director | Chairperson |
| ii. | TSC Deputy County Director | Secretary |
| iii. | County Human Resource Officer | Member |
| iv. | TSC Sub County Director | Member |
| TOTAL | 4 |
The County Director MUST ensure that the Ministry of Health COVID-19 containment measures are adhered to by panel members.
b) The TSC County Director shall be required to convene a County Panel to ratify Sub County Merit Lists for onward submission to the TSC Headquarters within the stipulated timeline.
c) The selected applicants from the Merit List shall correctly fill the TSC Application for Employment Form (APPT 1) without erasing or defacing it.
d) The Merit List compiled during the selection process at the beginning of the financial year shall be used in subsequent recruitments within the financial year. Selected applicants shall be informed through the Short Message Service (SMS).
NB: It is the responsibility of the TSC County Director to ensure that the exercise is fair and transparent.
The County Director must also ensure that all documents are in order and appropriately signed/certified before submitting them to the TSC Headquarters.
5.0 COMPLAINTS
a) Any applicant who is dissatisfied with the exercise should submit to the TSC County Director a written complaint immediately and send an email to the TSC Headquarters through, dirtm@tsc.go.ke not later than seven (7) days after the selection exercise;
b) The TSC County Director should, within seven (7) days analyze and address all complaints raised after the selection process has been completed and thereafter submit a report to the Headquarters on the action taken.
c) Where the complaint is made against the TSC County Director, the TSC Headquarters shall investigate the allegations and take appropriate action.
6.0 DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO TSC HEADQUARTERS
The TSC County Director shall submit the following to the TSC Headquarters;
i. County Selection Panel minutes duly signed by the Chairperson and Secretary;
ii. Current Merit List (Appendix IV)
iii. List of all selected applicants drawn from the current merit list (Appendix V)
iv. List of all invited applicants who did not appear for verification (Appendix Vl);
v. List of applicants with special needs (Appendix VII)
vi. Duly filled Application for Employment Forms (APPT I) for the selected applicants;
vii. Original statement of confirmation of PTE/KCSE/KCPE results from KNEC for applicants without original certificates;
viii. Certified copies of the following documents in the order indicated below:
a) National identification card;
b) National Council of Persons with Disability (NCPWD) Card (where applicable):
c) Two passport size photographs;
d) KCPE (or its equivalent) Certificate (include certificates for attempts if one repeated exams);
e) KCSE (or its equivalent) Certificates (include certificate for attempts if one repeated exams);
f) PTE Certificate;
g) Certificate of registration as a teacher;
h) Evidence of service under Internship programme (where applicable);
i) Primary and Secondary Schools and college leaving certificates and other testimonials;
j) Sworn Affidavit where names appearing on the submitted documents differ;
k) KRA PIN certificate, Bank form and Bank plate to facilitate appointment on payroll.
vii) Written commitment by the applicant to serve in any county posted to, for a minimum period of five (5) years, and three (3) years in case of North Eastern region;
viii) Panel score sheet (Appendix I) both in soft (excel) via ddstaffingp@tsc.go.ke and hard copy for the selected applicants;
7.0 IMPORTANT NOTES
a) Merit Lists shall be made available to members of public wishing to see them on request in a manner that will not put the recruitment process into jeopardy.
b) Under no circumstances should the Application for Employment Form be defaced or photocopied for use.
c) All enquiries arising from these guidelines should be made to the TSC County Director.
d) Notwithstanding the decentralization of the function of teacher’s recruitment pursuant to Section 20 of the TSC Act, the Commission is not precluded from carrying out recruitment directly from the TSC Headquarters.
8.0 Attached find the following Appendices;
a) Appendix I (a):
b) Appendix 1 (b):
c) Appendix II:
d) Appendix Ill:
Panel Score Sheet for primary school teachers.
Panel Score Sheet for primary school teachers living with disabilities.
Sub County Registration list of applicants who present documents for verification. Sub County Merit List.
| e) | Appendix IV: | County Merit List |
| f) | Appendix V: | List of selected applicants |
| g) | Appendix VI: | List of applicants who did not appear for verification |
| h) | Appendix VII: | List of applicants with special needs. |
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Click here to download full guidelines for recruitment of primary school teachers with score sheets
