400 teachers turned away from overbooked Mombasa training

More than 400 primary school teachers who had turned up for a seven-day promotion course were on Monday evening turned away from Shanzu Teachers College in Mombasa for lack of accommodation.

Some of the teachers camped at the college compound the whole night demanding to be accommodated for the course saying they had paid for the teachers' proficiency course (TPC) several months ago and should not be denied accommodation.

The management turned them away arguing that the college hostels were full to capacity.

Those who were turned away had invitation letters some of which the Nation obtained.

They had carried with them receipts indicating they had paid Sh8,000 to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for accommodation and for the course.

TSC had organised the one-week training course which had been advertised in January in newspapers.

Those undergoing the training are mostly senior primary school teachers, among them headteachers and their deputies seeking promotion.

FIRST TIME IN MOMBASA

A teacher from Garissa County who did not want to be identified said that despite being ejected, he did not leave the compound because it was his first time to be in Mombasa.

“It’s my first time to be in Mombasa. I arrived here by asking people for direction. If you throw me out, where do I go?” he asked.

“I was shocked to be informed by the college officials that there is no chance for me as I have arrived late and that all space is filled up.

Why did they invite more teachers than they can accommodate?” a teacher from Taita Taveta County who showed a payment receipt for the course asked.

BLAMED TSC FOR MESS

Speaking on behalf of the college, a board member, Sheikh Juma Ngao, blamed the TSC for the mess.

“It is true we have thrown out some teachers because we are filled to capacity. We agreed with TSC that we can only accommodate 900 teachers but they sent here more than 1,300. Where do we keep them?” asked Mr Ngao.

He said that the college should not be blamed for the situation maintaining that extra teachers would not be accommodated.

“We have beds, mattresses and other facilities for 900 teachers. We cannot take more. Let TSC sort out the problem with their members,” he said.

Some teachers said that they had been instructed by unnamed TSC officials to go back home and write to the commission to ask for reimbursement of the Sh8, 000.

“But we know it can take years before we get it or never get it at all,” one of them said.