Give us more cash to hire, TSC tells State

The Teachers Service Commission has asked the government to provide more funds for the recruitment of more than 40,000 primary school instructors.

TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said the shortage of teachers in 20,665 primary schools stands at 39,574.

“Over the years, the commission has consistently requested for increased allocations to employ 20,000 teachers annually. This would translate in hiring 8,000 primary school teachers every year,” Mrs Macharia said.

She added that during the 2017/18 financial year, the National Assembly set aside Sh5 billion for the recruitment of 8,000 teachers under the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary education programme.

“The commission recruited 1,000 primary school teachers,” Mrs Macharia said during a presentation to the National Assembly Education Committee on Thursday last week.

SHORTAGE

Bungoma County has the highest shortage at 3,523 teachers, followed by Kakamega (3,422), Kitui (2,571) while Narok requires 2,162 educators.

Nairobi County needs only 87 primary school teachers while Lamu requires 44.

Isiolo County has a shortage of 12 teachers, Mrs Macharia said.

“The commission has put in place a mechanism that ensures the replacement of teachers who exit the service is prompt and learning is not interrupted,” Mrs Macharia added.

She said TSC has ensured that teachers already in service and the ones recruited annually are distributed proportionately across the country.

“Additionally, the commission continues to balance staff,” the TSC boss said.

DELOCALISATION

Mrs Macharia explained that the deployment of new teachers to areas neighbouring their home counties is meant to enhance national cohesion and integration.

“In its assessment of performance in public schools, the commission noted that a teacher stationed in a school within the neighbourhood he or she hails from often demonstrates laxity and complacency in duty,” she said.

She added that such teachers have prioritised personal engagements at the expense of the child.

“The deployment of new teachers to other counties is intended to change the worrying trend of low performance arising from lack of commitment to duty,” she said.

PRINCIPALS

The TSC boss said the delocalisation of school administrators has improved professionalism in the industry.

“Serving in local neighbourhoods has been the root cause of poor management of resources,” she added.

She said 1,065 principals out of 8,900 have transferred.

“Principals who have been delocalised say they appreciate the significance of serving outside areas. TSC has received many requests from principals to be considered for the same,” she said.