The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has asked Parliament to allocate Sh2 billion for the promotion of 12,634 tutors in the financial year 2023–24.
The commission informed the National Assembly Committee on Education that it will require Sh2,175,038,528 to relocate instructors.
According to the TSC estimates presented to the committee, it will take around Sh600 million to promote 4,595 primary school teachers from grade C1 to C2, and approximately Sh1 billion to transfer 4,750 diploma-holder teachers from grade C2 to C3.
Jamleck Muturi, Chairperson of the Teachers Service Commission, and Calvin Anyuor, Director of Legal and Industrial Relations
The teachers’ employer will also require Sh400 million in order to promote 2,637 graduate teachers from grade C3 to C4 and Sh175 and 038,528 in order to promote 652 graduate teachers from grade D3 to D4.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia told lawmakers that the commission plans to promote 11,258 teachers to the common cadre in the current financial year, subject to funding availability.
She went on to say that TSC would promote 13,717 teachers on a competitive basis and 1,021 through the ASAL and hardship areas policies.
According to the TSC, 4,006 teachers were competitively promoted in the 2019–20 fiscal year and another 16,032 in the 2020–2021 fiscal year. In the 2019–20 fiscal year, 5,034 teachers were promoted on a common cadre basis, followed by 94,76 in the next fiscal year.
Legislators demanded to know why some teachers were not confirmed after serving in multiple posts for up to five years.
According to Lugari MP Nabii Nabwera, the TSC has never informed teachers as to why they have not been verified.
Ms. Macharia stated that teachers who meet the qualifications for appointment as institutional managers must express their interest by applying when the jobs are advertised by the commission.
“Deployment of institutional administrators, teachers who have acted as institutional administrators have an added advantage during interviews as they are awarded marks on the number of years they have been acting,” Ms Macharia said.
The CEO told MPs that the policy on the deployment of institutional administrators provides for a clear career progression structure to ensure systematic progression, growth and professional development for all teachers.
A report by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education (Kuppet) indicates that a total of 6,031 have been holding the positions in acting capacity.
The committee chairman Julius Melly said TSC must develop a mechanism to pay teachers who have been due for promotion but have remained in the same cadre thereby affecting his retirement package.
“How will these teachers be compensated because failure to confirm them means their overall retirement package is affected,” Mr Melly said.
Promotion of teachers in public service is premised on regulation 73 of the code of regulations for teachers, career progression guidelines and the policy on selection and appointment of institutional administrators.
The criteria for promotion includes availability of funds, existence of vacancies in the authorised establishment, merit and ability as reflected in the teachers’ work performance, seniority and experience.
In addition, annual performance records and academic and professional qualifications are also considered before a teacher is promoted.
“Promotions will be done competitively with the objective to recognize and reward effort and performance, align teachers for succession management and motivate employees to perform better in their duties and responsibilities with the aim of improving quality of teaching and learning,” Ms Macharia told MPs.
For purposes of transparency and accountability, Ms Macharia told the committee that the commission will advertise the available slots for interested candidates to apply.
The tsc and the government are collaboraters in hoodwinking teachers all the time especially the former regime.Hoping this gava Will remember teachers.