Panel begins search for top TSC officials

The TSC headquarters in Nairobi. The current serving commissioners were appointed by the Education minister and their contracts come to an end in June 2013

What you need to know:

  • A recruitment panel set up by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga has begun recruiting new commissioners for the agency, which employs 260,000 teachers.
  • Unlike in the past when most commissioners were retired teachers, the team has opened the door for those with degrees and 15 years experience in education and training to apply for the post of chairman.
  • But those seeking commissioners’ positions need to have experience of only 10 years in education, governance, management and law.

The government has finally moved to reconstitute the Teachers Service Commission to make it more independent and efficient as set out in the Constitution.

A recruitment panel set up by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga has begun recruiting new commissioners for the agency, which employs 260,000 teachers.

According to the new TSC Act that became operational on August 31, the commission would only have nine commissioners, down from 24 in the previous law.

The selection panel, headed by educationist James Kamunge, has called for applications to initially fill the position of chairman and three commissioners.

This is meant to raise the number to the minimum nine since there are currently five commissioners remaining. Others have been leaving the commission following the expiry of their contracts without replacement.

In the advertisement, interested parties have been given up to October 11 to submit their applications at the panel’s offices at Harambee House in Nairobi.

Unlike in the past when most commissioners were retired teachers, the team has opened the door for those with degrees and 15 years experience in education and training to apply for the post of chairman.

Seeking positions

But those seeking commissioners’ positions need to have experience of only 10 years in education, governance, management and law.

Serving MPs, officials of political parties and local authorities are barred from seeking the positions. Successful applicants will serve for a one six-year non-renewable term.

The new TSC Act gives President Kibaki the powers to appoint a chairman and eight commissioners.

The current serving commissioners were appointed by the Education minister and their contracts come to an end in June 2013