TSC delists 126 teachers over sex scandals and misconduct

The Teachers Service Commission has banned 126 teachers from working in any school in Kenya after they were found guilty of having sexual relations with students and other misconduct.

Of these, 100 engaged in sexual relations with learners in breach of their profession's code of conduct, investigations by the TSC's Disciplinary Committee revealed.

A majority of the blacklisted instructors, 124, are male while two are female.

Among those struck out is a teacher who sodomised a 19-year-old student at Chavakali Boys in March 2013.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Gabriel Lengoiboni on Tuesday admitted that the cases may not be a true reflection of the rot in schools.

COVER-UP

“We have a lot of cover-up by parents, communities and some teachers of cases of sexual relations between teachers and their students. Some are even unwilling to give evidence,” Mr Lengoiboni told Nation.co.ke.

There are plans, he said, to release the names of deregistered teachers on a yearly basis to ensure the public is informed.

Recently, the High Court ordered the Attorney-General, the TSC, a public school in Nakuru and ex-teacher Henry Stariko Amukoah to jointly pay two girls Sh5 million after Amukoah defiled them.

“The names of the teachers specified in the list have been removed from the register of teachers after they were taken through a disciplinary process and found guilty of gross misconduct,” said the notice signed by Ms Nancy Macharia for Mr Lengoiboni, and which was released last month.

RECEIVED COMPLAINTS

The notice said the TSC had received complaints about the affected individuals between 2011 and 2014, carried out investigations and made decisions between August 2011 and February this year.

The notice asked the public to refrain from enlisting the services of the delisted individuals lest they be fined up to Sh500,000 or be jailed for up to six months.

Kenya Private School Association Chief Executive Officer Peter Ndoro on Tuesday said his group is working with the TSC to ensure that banned teachers do not find their way into private schools.

“We are working closely with (the) TSC, which registers teachers in public and private schools, to keep off teachers who have been dismissed because of professional misconduct,” said Mr Ndoro.

According to the TSC Act 2012 (Article 30(5) and 23(2), a teacher whose name has been removed from TSC register loses the title.

KUPPET WARNS

The TSC has also established a database of teachers who have been deregistered to guard against their re-entry into the teaching profession.

Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers Chairman Omboko Milemba said the union would not defend any teacher who sexually harasses students.

“All teachers should stick to the code of conduct for teachers and avoid such behaviours that may put the profession into disrepute,” said Mr Milemba.