TSC develops guidelines on deployment of teachers

The Teachers Service Commission has developed tough guidelines on deployment of teachers holding administrative positions, which will have them posted outside their home counties.

The policy on identification and deployment of institutional administrators will be released next week and will affect more than 30,000 headteachers across the country.

Also to be affected are deputy headteachers and senior teachers, in a move aimed at strengthening school management.

TSC chief executive officer Nancy Macharia said delocalisation of the management of learning institutions is intended to address cases of conflict of interest that may arise.

“Delocalisation will eventually be cascaded to deputy heads and other senior teachers,” said Mrs Macharia while addressing more than 8,000 headteachers at their annual conference in Mombasa.

A LIMIT

Mrs Macharia also said there will be a limit to the number of years heads of institutions should serve in one station. “We have put in place a policy to ensure that heads do not overstay in a particular institution. We have already started implementing this policy in some schools as changes in headship become necessary,” added the chief executive. She did not state the set number of years.

She also announced that school heads, their deputies and senior teachers would be recruited only on a competitive basis, to uphold merit in appointment to public office.

The CEO reiterated that in all the education reforms that the country has focused on, one issue that has remained constant is provision of quality education.

“From whichever perspective we look at education reforms, the role of the school principal matters more than that of anybody else in the learning matrix. Principals are the primary drivers of students’ achievement and teachers’ effectiveness,” said Mrs Macharia.

EFFECTIVE PRINCIPALS

She said the country cannot achieve quality education without effective principals.

Mrs Macharia praised the performance contracting and teacher performance appraisal and development launched in January of last year, saying they have gradually evolved into some of the commission’s best projects for improving the quality of teaching in schools.

“Everywhere we go, heads of institutions tell us that PC and TPAD are radically transforming the teaching service in many respects.

“Whether at Kakiimba Secondary School on Mfangano Island, or Tongaren DEB Mixed Secondary School in Bungoma North, or even Likoni Secondary School across the ferry, heads of institutions are reporting better syllabus coverage and more effective curriculum delivery,” she said.

SUPERVISION EASIER

Mrs Macharia added that through the initiative, supervision of curriculum implementation by school heads is now easier.

“Our teachers are now more focused and they are taking more time to prepare. On schemes of work, they are spending more time planning for lessons and updating their teaching aids; there is more documentation on learners’ progress and it is also evident that more and more teachers are planning for make-up classes, sometimes even before going out of school for official assignments,” she observed.

Mrs Macharia added that as a result of PCs and TPAD, heads of institutions have stepped up supervision by ensuring proper maintenance of appraisal records, curriculum audit reports, teacher class attendance registers and submission of staffing returns.

“In addition, and probably the most significant, the implementation of Performance Contracting and Teacher Appraisal Programme has significantly reduced teacher absenteeism,” she said.

IMPROVED ATTENDANCE

Mrs Macharia added that the appraisal had also improved overall class attendance by teachers, noting that absenteeism had been a matter of concern.

“Improved school and class attendance entrenches a culture of client relationship with learners and other stakeholders,” she noted.

The TSC said that the commission was currently upgrading its ICT infrastructure to make it easier for users to file their appraisal returns online.

“We will also invest more in training and sensitisation of heads and teachers.

“Additionally, more resources will be allocated to ensure our field officers are able to provide professional and technical support to schools,” Mrs Macharia said.