Non-local teachers attending TSC documents verification exercise in the ongoing replacements are finding themselves in awkward position following the Commission move that sidelines them.
Yesterday the Commission started the vetting exercise to replace 8,707 teachers who exited service through natural attrition.
At least thirty sub counties invited teachers for the exercise while others are posed to start theirs today and tomorrow.
However it turned out that TSC has prioritized employment of all local teachers who applied for the advertised vacancies.
In the replacement guidelines TSC has ordered the vetting panels headed by the TSC Sub County Directors to prioritize local applicants.
“Priority should be given to local applicants. Non-local applicants can only be considered once all local applicants have been exhausted,” said TSC CEO Nancy Macharia in the guidelines.
This move automatically locks out non-local teachers despite their qualifications.
TSC ordered the Sub County selection panel to compile a Sub County merit list split into two. One for local applicants from the Sub County and another for no-local applicants.
TSC officials have however been defending this move saying it aims to protect the native unemployed teachers as well as minimize transfer out.
Non-local teachers are blamed for destabilizing education as they start to seek transfer out of the County immediate after their employment.
Just last week teacher officials in Turkana County raised alarm after more than 40 non-local teachers were transferred out of the county without replacement.
Schools in the region, a hardship area in Kenya’s north, suffer perennial teacher shortage and the sudden transfers have worsened the situation, almost crippling learning in some learning centres.
Schools affected by the transfers include Lodwar Boys, a national school that has not produced a single straight Grade A since 2015.
Kessha Turkana chapter branch secretary Nicodemus Ingolan termed the transfers unusual, noting that they happened without suitable plans for replacements.
“Forty teachers have forcefully been transferred to Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties in a manner that has puzzled us. This to us is an act of mercilessly exiting teachers from Turkana without following regular procedure as stipulated in TSC Act of 2012 on transfer of post primary school teachers,” Mr Ingolan said in Lodwar town.
He said the decision contravenes the Basic Education Act of 2013 that provides for inclusive and special needs education.
Kuppet Turkana Branch Secretary-General Michael Ekitela gave TSC 48 hours ultimatum to address the anomaly of following the correct procedures of transferring and replacing teachers to safeguard the interests of learners or else they hold mega protests in Lodwar town.
“We have been marginalised for too long and now we have a government that is trying to help us. However, we have some individuals at the Rift Valley regional office who want to continue marginalizing us by forcefully removing teachers,” Mr Ekitela said.
In the ongoing replacements which is on permanent and pensionable terms TSC declared 5,862 posts for primary schools, 21 posts for junior schools and 2,824 posts for secondary schools.
The posting of the teachers to schools is expected to start in March till May 2025.
The Commission has listed the academic and professional documents that must be presented to the recruitment panel for verification exercise.
Applicants are required to present original and legible photocopies of the following, among other relevant documents for verification:-
List of documents required for verification for primary school teachers
1) National identification card;
2) Certificate of Registration as a teacher;
3) Evidence of the completion of Upgrade Diploma in Primary Teacher Education or UDPTE Certificate where applicable.
4) PTE Certificate;
5) KCSE certificates or its equivalent (include certificates for attempts if one resat exam);
6) KCPE certificate or it’s equivalent (include certificates for attempts if one resat exam);
7) Letter of Certification of results by KNEC (where applicable);
8) Primary and Secondary School leaving certificates and other relevant testimonials;
9) National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) Card (where applicable);
10) An Affidavit sworn under the Oaths and Statutory Declarations Act, Cap 15 of the Laws of Kenya to explain the variance in names.
List of documents required for verification for post primary school teachers (JSS and Secondary)
a) National identification card;
b) Certificate of Registration as a teacher;
c) Diploma/Degree certificate and official transcripts;
d) KCSE certificates or its equivalent (include certificates for attempts if one re-sat exams);
e) KCPE certificate or its equivalent (include certificates for attempts if one re-sat exams);
f) Primary and Secondary School leaving certificates and other relevant testimonials;
g) National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) Card (where applicable);
h) An Affidavit sworn under the Oaths and Statutory Declarations Act, Cap 15 of the Laws of Kenya to explain the variance in names;
i) Letter of certification of results by KNEC (where applicable).
However serving intern teachers are only required to present their identity cards during the
verification process.
Persons with disabilities shall be required to indicate their disability status together with the nature of disabilities to inform their placement;
After the verification exercise, the TSC Sub-County Director shall compile a Merit List of all applicants whose documents have been verified.
TSC said the Merit Lists shall be made available to members of the public wishing to see them on request in a manner that will not jeopardize the recruitment process and in total adherence to the Data Protection Act, 2019.