More transfer letters have been released by Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for delocalized teachers who had applied for re-routing from November last year.
The Commission has acted and released transfers for teachers including for those whose status were reading ‘pending’.
A good number of transfer letters are now available in the TSC County offices. The Commission is under pressure to ensure all delocalized teachers who applied for transfer are re-routed.
TSC officials had asked delocalized teachers to visit their TSC County Directors offices to confirm if their transfer letters are available.
Teachers are also required to regularly check online for change of their transfer status. Those successful will change from ‘pending’ to ‘acknowledged’ then to ‘approved’.
The Commission had from two weeks ago dispatched transfer letters for teachers whose status was acknowledged online.
TSC Regional Directors acted on most transfer request for delocalized teachers in the regions.
A good number of teachers in various counties confirmed to have received the transfer letters which they picked from their TSC County offices.
TSC had indicated that it will effect transfer requests for 21,544 delocalized teachers before schools reopen.
The Commissions’ plan was to approve the regional and inter regional transfer requests and release the letters early in May.
During the last transfer approvals most teachers who applied for transfers out of their regions were not considered.
The Commission is under pressure to re-route delocalized teachers back home. While appearing before the Senate TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia said that mechanisms have been put in place to transfer the teachers back to their regions easily.
This means factors that initially barred teachers from being transferred like five year rule, or presence of suitable replacement will no longer be used.
Initially the transfers depended on the availability of vacancies in the station, the need for replacement, existing staffing norms and medical grounds certified by a registered medical practitioner.
However Macharia told the Senate Committee on Education that the transfer of teachers from one institution to another is based on the need for equitable distribution and optimal utilization of teachers.
Last week it emerged that Nairobi City County is the most preferred region by teachers seeking transfers.
In a document submitted to the Senate Committee on Education by TSC, a total of 36,277 teachers applied for transfers between November 1 last year and January 31 this year.
TSC says, of the teachers, 14,733 were matched and approved while 21,544 are pending.