- The Teacher Service Commission is in the eye of the storm following the sacking of some Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers.
- The development comes after a section of MPs led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei demanded that the commission immediately rescind the decision or face the wrath of Parliament.
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGÁ
The Teacher Service Commission is in the eye of the storm following the sacking of some Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers.
The development comes after a section of MPs led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei demanded that the commission immediately rescind the decision or face the wrath of Parliament.
“We call upon TSC to immediately stop the termination of contract exercise and recall all the dispatched letters already in the hands of JSS teachers,” Cherargei said.
Addressing journalists in Parliament Buildings, Cherargei asked the TSC to ‘immediately’ embark on the process of employing all the over 46,000 intern teachers on permanent and pensionable terms.
The firebrand lawmaker said that parliament will summon the management of the commission led by CEO Nancy Macharia next week to explain the decision should they fail to rescind it.
On Tuesday, TSC confirmed the sacking of some JSS teachers.
The commission clarified that it sacked 742 JSS teachers and not 7,357 tutors.
TSC said the teachers have been sacked in connection to mass protests that saw thousands take to the streets to demand permanent employment.
TSC on May 22 sent show cause letters to the protesting teachers who had absconded their duties.
They were required to submit their responses in two weeks.
"10,348 who absented themselves from work from May 13, 2024, were given show-cause letters to explain their whereabouts," the Commission said.
Out of 10,348 teachers who received the show-cause letters, TSC says only 9,606 teachers were able to respond within the two weeks.
"Of them, 742 teachers who did not report to work and whose whereabouts were not known had their contracts terminated and replaced," TSC said.
However, Cherargei termed the TSC decision as unfair and against human rights as enshrined in the constitution.
“It is very unfair, unjust, and against all human rights to terminate contracts of these young patriots who have served with diligence and pioneered the CBC Education despite the poor working conditions and lack of requisite facilities,” he said.
The lawmaker accused the teachers’ employer of turning into hypocrites by terminating the contracts of the teachers who had already called off their strike.
According to Cherargei, the JSS teachers were simply advocating and agitating for improved terms and employment to permeant and pensionable terms.
“JSS and intern teachers have remained demoralized, unmotivated, frustrated, stressed and mentally disbursed due to blackmail and intimidation meted on them by the school heads, TSC, inspectors’ supervisors county directors and now TSC,” he said.
The termination letters, dated June 6, seen by the Star on Monday, indicated several of the teachers were sacked over what TSC termed as "professional misconduct".
"The Commission has decided to terminate your Internship engagement with effect from June 6, 2024, on the grounds that you engaged in acts of professional misconduct in that you deserted duty with effect from May 13, 2024, to date while engaged as an Intern teacher," the termination letter read in part.
"Reference is made to the show cause letter 22 May 2024 in which you were accorded an opportunity to explain the reasons why your engagement as an intern should not be terminated on account of professional misconduct."
The Commission said it carefully considered some of the responses and found them to be unsatisfactory.