Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has reacted on teachers who are said to be taking instructions from the former Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary general Wilson Sossion.
Members of the Kenya National Teachers Pressure Group (KNTPG) are facing it rough as the Commission issue its followers with transfers to farthest counties.
The group which has also planned a major demonstrations in Nairobi this Friday is said to get its funding and directives from Wilson Sossion.
“The demonstraion is expected to take place from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm. It will begin at Delfirm hotel at River road, through Accra road, then to Tom Mboya street, Harambee Avenue through to Parliament road, Haille Sellasie Avenue all the way to Upper Hill, TSC offices and back,” reads part of the demonstration notification.
Knut secretary general Collins Oyuu have been warning critics of the union after signing of the non-monetary Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) saying he and his team should be given room to serve teachers.
The KNTPG is fighting the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programme set to start this December. The group is also fighting for a better well funded medical cover for teachers.
Already six teachers linked to the group have been moved to schools in counties far away from their working stations.
The first casualty in this purge was the spokesperson of the group, Ms Martha Omollo, who was transferred from Nairobi to Trans Nzoia County, a day after she called for the revocation of tutors’ medical insurance under Aon Minet.
Martha Omollo has been calling teachers to stop registering for the TPD programme.
KTPG, according to her, fills a vacuum left by the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) in fighting for the welfare of tutors.
However Ms Omollo said the transfer is malicious and meant to silence her and other teachers from speaking against their frustrations under the medical cover, as well as other injustices at the hands of TSC.
“On Friday I received a call from the TSC Nairobi County director through my headteacher who told me that I should be cautious of what I speak about in the media and that any issues I have should go through the teachers’ unions,” she said.
And at around 4pm, Ms Omollo said an official from TSC head office drove to the school and handed her the transfer letter that directs her to start clearing from the school immediately.
“To my surprise, the headteacher seemed to have been informed about my transfer as he had already typed and signed a release letter from the school,” recounted Ms Omollo.
In the letter signed by TSC official Mr Fredrick Mwaniki on behalf of CEO Nancy Macharia, Ms Omollo was directed to report to the Trans Nzoia TSC county director by Monday.
“The commission has decided that you be transferred from Nairobi to Trans Nzoia County with effect from November 15 to teach all subjects,” reads the letter dated November 12.
However TSC is mandated under Article 237 (2) of the constitution to;
1) Register trained teachers
2) Recruit and employ rregistered teachers
3) Assign teachers employed by the Commission for service in any public school or institution
4) Promote and transfer teachers
5) Exercise disciplinary control over teachers
6) Terminate the employment of teachers
7) Review the standards of education and training of persons entering the teaching service
8) Review the demand for and supply of teachers
9) Advise the national government on matters relating to the teaching profession