Sort out jobs mess in TSC

What you need to know:

  • The institutions are hamstrung in their activities.
  • We hope the education ministry will move fast to fully constitute these key institutions.

The paralysis of operations at crucial institutions in the education sector has grown from what was initially thought to be a minor setback to an impending crisis that should be resolved urgently.

Despite its crucial role, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is yet to be fully constituted, while the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development and the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) have no substantive heads. 

Some of the appointments, particularly at the TSC, have been slowed by long-standing legal hurdles, but in the case of Knec and KICD there are indications that narrow political and ethnic interests are the stumbling block.

This state of affairs means the institutions are hamstrung in their activities.

At the TSC, for example, only three commissioners instead of the requisite nine are in office, meaning teachers hoping for a pay rise, promotion or determination of various administrative cases will not have their issues resolved soon.

Crucial salary negotiations with teachers’ unions also seem to have been affected by the lack of senior personnel.

Having acting heads at the Curriculum Development Institute and the examinations council has only helped to heighten the sense of anxiety and instability in the sector.

We hope the education ministry will move fast to fully constitute these key institutions.