TSC urges teachers to use social media responsibly

The Teachers Service Commission has cautioned teachers against irresponsible use of social media which may portray the profession in bad light.

Speaking on Tuesday in Nairobi during the celebrations of safer internet, Mary Rotich, TSC director of Teacher Management, said the Commission’s Act compels teachers to behave responsibly both in school and even on social media.

“The Act gives us power to monitor the conduct of teachers, as the TSC we are thinking of starting to monitor what teachers exchange on social media. If you post irresponsible information on social media, such things do not show good conduct,” she said.

She warned that Commission through its cooperate affairs and communication department will be looking into the kind of information that teachers post on social media before they invited for interview for promotion or employment.

According to Ms Rotich, teachers should use social media platforms to share educative and teaching materials which could educate students.

She said, teachers are known to play a great role of shaping the learners and should use it to portray a positive image about teachers.

She asked teachers to leverage on the benefits of social media but should avoid posting personal warning letters written to them to seek sympathy.

Ms Rotich said the TSC is embarking on a program that will see teachers use technology of address the issue of teacher’s shortages across the country.

“With the help of the ministry of education, the ministry of information and Google, we are planning to start using social media platforms such as hangout and video conference where teachers use them to teach students from more than one school,” she said.

The director of ICT in the ministry of Education Stephen Magomba said the ministry is collaborating with the TSC and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to give teachers all the skills they need to come up with a curriculum that will embrace use of the internet and social media in schools.

In a speech read on his behalf, Ministry of information Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunication Sammy Itemere said the ministry is focusing in ways in which formal education can be used to enhance technology.

Kennedy Ongaro from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development said they have embarked of a curriculum reform to integrate internet use in learning.

They applauded students and teachers from Nairobi School, Matuga Girls’ High School in Mombasa and Arya Girls Secondary School who have been participating on Google initiative hangout to interact with each other.

Eastleigh Boys High School has also been part of Webrangers game that promotes online learning.

Google Public Policy and Government Relations Manager for East Africa Michael Murungi said they are ready to partner with all education stakeholders to promote internet use in schools