According to sources close to the Commission, the ongoing mass movement of teachers will not be as large as previously assumed.
According to sources, the transfer and personnel balancing exercise that began this month will affect less than six teachers in several sub counties.
This, they claim, is due to the serious teacher shortages that most schools are experiencing.
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia had directed that the staff transfer and balancing exercise begin immediately and be completed by May 9, 2022.
Macharia stated in a circular dated April 4, 2022 that the process of staffing schools will be driven by’staffing guidelines’ in order to ensure optimal teacher utilization and decrease inequities in teacher distribution.
“Despite numerous efforts by the Commission to address teacher shortages across the country, the situation is always compounded by irregular teacher distribution thereby, creating an imbalance that affects delivery of service in the teaching sector. Further, the teacher staffing imbalance continues to limit the initiative toward the equitable distribution of the teaching Resource. If unchecked, this will adversely impact learning outcomes in our learning Institutions,” said Macharia
However, according to data from the Teacher Management Information System (TMIS), the teaching workload for teachers in most schools exceeds the acceptable quantity.
Macharia has directed County Directors to collaborate with their County Directors on teacher rationalization in order to guarantee equal re-distribution among schools.
The Commission has put the delocalization strategy on hold in response to teacher protests, arguing that it is tearing their families apart.
However, she stated that instructors who have asked for and are qualified for transfer will be given precedence.
She stated that if a teacher fits the criteria for transfer, the ‘first in, first out factor’ will be considered. ‘Where relevant, gender balance’ and ‘Where applicable, teacher security’
Macharia outlined the following factors to be considered during the exercise.
1. The age of the teacher:
Teachers aged 56 years and above will be exempted from the transfer out of the area of their current work stations.
2. Health status:
Teachers with proven cases of terminal illness will be exempt from transfers out of the current sub county of work.
However, the Committee will evaluate each case on its own merit taking into consideration the supporting Medical documents, the availability and accessibility to the appropriate medical facilities amongst other factors in the proposed station.
3. Teachers with Disabilities;
Teachers with disability with the necessary certification will be exempted from transfers outside their current station sub County.
When transferring teachers, priority shall be given to schools within the sub county within the targeted shortage before transferring out of the sub county.
4. Family considerations:
Transfer couples who are employees of the Commission and have formally declared their marital status in the same neighborhood where possible.
5. Length of stay since first appointment:
The teacher must have served in a station for a period of not less than three (3) years and five (5) years for North Eastern and other areas respectively since first appointment; unless otherwise authorized by the Commission Secretary.
In cases where teachers meet the criteria for transfer, the Commission will consider: