Thika Town Non-Local Teachers Decry MP’s Proposal Requiring Them to Apply for Teaching Jobs in their Home Counties.
Teachers employed by school boards of management (BOM) in the Thika Town constituency who are from other regions have expressed worry over being required to apply for teaching positions in their home regions.
They claimed that having taught in the district for years under the school BOM, they are entitled to the same employment opportunities as locals.
They were responding to Thika MP Alice Ng’ang’a’s statement that only teachers who are registered to vote in the constituency will be prioritized in the recruitment effort.
We have taught here for years, and now that there are teaching vacancies in rural areas, we are being sent there to teach. Is this just?“ Antony Karanja, one of the teachers, was questioned.
While addressing nearly 200 unemployed teachers in her constituency, Ng’ang’a stated that BOM teachers who were overlooked during previous teacher recruiting procedures will be given priority.
She stated, however, that applying for jobs in one’s rural district provides them a greater chance of being hired.
“Why would you get a slot in Thika, yet you vote elsewhere? This amounts to denying a local teacher a slot. However, if we get many slots, we shall include all of you. We are helping you because you stand a better chance to get the job in your constituency,” the MP said.
Ng’ang’a lamented the size of her constituency, which encompasses the two subcounties of Thika West and Thika East, arguing that they are entitled to more seats than the less populous districts.
She stated that this will solve the high pupil-to-teacher ratio in her district.
"Why would heavily populated constituencies like Ruiru and Thika get the same number of slots as those from less populated regions like Lamu constituencies? We shall present our case to ensure we get more slots,” she said.
The teachers, lead by Assumpta Lora and John Kinyua, are optimistic about their chances this time around.
They stated that they had previously applied for the positions multiple times but were unsuccessful.
"We are confident that this is our turn and we laud the government for opening this opportunity,” Kinyua said.
In the coming days, the government will hire 30,000 teachers around the nation.
Since then, Nancy Macharia, the chief executive officer of the Teachers Service Commission, has stated that all 47 counties will receive an equal number of teachers to fill vacancies.
Thika Town Non-Local Teachers Decry MP’s Proposal Requiring Them to Apply for Teaching Jobs in their Home Counties.
