Legislator Seeks TSC Teacher Recruitment Data on Gender
A legislator has called upon the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to account for the utilization of the Sh6.4 billion earmarked for teacher recruitment in the 2022–23 financial year’s Supplemental Budget I. Rep. Joyce Kamene of Machakos County, during a parliamentary session, urged the commission to provide detailed information on the gender, county, and persons with disabilities statistics of the teachers recruited.
She also sought clarification on the job prospects for the 26,000 individuals currently serving as teacher interns, emphasizing the need for contingency plans once their internships conclude.
Kamene further requested that TSC disclose its strategy for ensuring fairness and equity in future teacher recruitment exercises, as well as the adequate deployment of teachers in special needs schools nationwide. Additionally, she inquired about the monitoring and evaluation tools used to assess the effectiveness of the competency-based curriculum training for teachers and school administrators. Kamene’s concern stemmed from ongoing difficulties faced by parents while assisting their children with homework.
The lawmaker’s call for transparency in the allocation of funds and statistics related to teacher recruitment comes in the wake of the signing of the Supplemental Appropriations Bill by President William Ruto on March 6, 2023. The bill allocates Sh6 billion for hiring additional teachers, Sh2 billion for school nutrition under the National Council for Nomadic Education, Sh10 billion for drought mitigation, and Sh15 billion for fertilizer subsidies.
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Education stakeholders voiced concerns about political interference in the education sector, particularly in teacher hiring, on October 12, 2023. Moses Nthurima, National Deputy Secretary-General of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), decried alleged harassment and intimidation of TSC staff by politicians. He argued that political interference in the hiring process led to preferential treatment for relatives and acquaintances, disadvantaging qualified teachers without such connections. Nthurima called for an end to political interference in government sectors.
Conversely, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has proposed a collaboration between TSC and the union in the recruitment and employment of new teachers.
Legislator Seeks TSC Teacher Recruitment Data on Gender
