KNUT decries TSC’s reluctance to confirm Kajiado teachers

By Obegi Malack

Kajiado County

KNUT Executive Secretary Elly Korin has revealed that teachers in his jurisdiction have not received their letters of confirmation, jeopardizing their chances of promotion when vacancies arise.

By Obegi Malack

The Kenya Education Fund (KEF) has issued 160 scholarships to bright but needy students from across the country.

The students received their cheques from the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in a ceremony at Nazarene Church in Nairobi County.

The organization’s Executive Director and co-founder Dominic Muasya said the beneficiaries each received a five years scholarship; four years for secondary and one for college studies.

The beneficiaries were interviewed in July 2022 before they sat their KCPE examinations. More than three thousand students had applied for the scholarship.

The director said the beneficiaries will also receive mentorship and life skills and will be prepared for transition to their careers of choice.

He said the organization’s main aim is to ensure needy students are in school. He said they will sponsor more students if they get more finances from well-wishers.

“Our students do well; we have high rates of transition from high school to university. In the last KCSE exams, 99 per cent of our students were able to transit to the next level, and we believe it is because of the comprehensive support we offer,” he said.

KEF chairperson Dr. Grace Waiharo noted that they have close to five hundred beneficiaries in secondary school.

Waiharo said the organization alumni donated Ksh100,000 towards

Director of Education Fredrick Kiiru, who was the chief guest during the event, noted that the sponsorship has contributed to more transition from primary to secondary school. He called on parents to give hope to their children who are from needy backgrounds.

KEF goodwill ambassador Francis Munyao, aka MCA Tricky, challenged the beneficiaries to perform well in class, calling on well-wishers to support needy students through the organization.

Munyao, who has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Kenyatta University, said he received a scholarship after he was picked from dangerous street life having dropped out of school due to poverty.

Some of the teachers have worked for more than five years in acting capacity.

Some teachers have also accused Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Kajiado County Employment panel of bias in the just concluded teachers recruitment exercise.

The teachers who sought anonymity said the employment panel did not follow TSC employment guidelines for post-primary and Junior Secondary Schools in the 2022/2023 Financial Year (FY).

They allege the just concluded recruitment exercise was infiltrated by politicians who ensured their clansmen and tribesmen got shortlisted.

“We are aware the interviews were for formalities. They did not even give the results on the same day,” the teachers said.

There was heightened lobbying by Members of Parliament to have their persons of interest hired during the recruitment drive.

“Everyone born here must be given equal opportunities irrespective of the tribes they are from,” one of the teachers complained.

The teachers now suspect the promotions, which are expected in February, will follow the same path. Applications for consideration were closed in January.

The teachers want the selection committee to follow the TSC guidelines when promoting teachers, which were issued by its CEO Dr Nan- cy Macharia.

When contacted, the KNUT office said they had not received any complaints about the recruitment exercise.

Kajiado County

TSC boss Angela Nekesa also said the teachers have not reported to her about the issues, saying she will not comment on issues she was yet to be updated on.

She said the selection panels are expected to demonstrate the highest degree of transparency and accountability when hiring the teachers.s

TSC regional directors were required to induct county directors within their jurisdictions, who will in turn induct members of selection panels on the relevant sections of the Public Officer Ethics Act and the Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT, 2015) before the start of the exercise.

Only registered teachers as per TSC statutes are considered for recruitment.