TSC Grants Teachers Leave Ahead Of Elections
As elections near, the Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) has granted teachers in secondary and primary schools leave.
This comes after the Education Ministry ordered all schools to close on Monday in order to prepare for next Tuesday’s elections.
The students will have a mid-term break from Tuesday, August 2 to Wednesday, August 10.
TSC CEO Nancy Macharia wrote to all county and sub-county education directors, requesting that teachers, particularly those contracted by the IEBC to administer the August 9 elections, be granted leave.
“You are required to ensure that all teachers report back to school on August 11 2022, when schools are reopened or as would be advised by the IEBC,” said Macharia in her letter dated August 1.
This comes after the government announced an immediate school closure on Tuesday.
According to Education CS George Magoha, schools will remain closed until August 11 due to the August 9 general elections.
“Schools and parents are advised to ensure that learners from all basic education institutions proceed on their final half term effective Tuesday, August 2, and resume Thursday, August 11 2022,” Magoha said.
Parents have felt the pinch as they have had to dig deeper into their pockets to pick up their children from various institutions.
It has also put a strain on students in boarding schools because parents must make time to pick them up, which they had not planned for.
As a result of the immediate closure, ongoing examinations were halted, causing student unrest and disruptions because school resources will now be wasted.
Because students are falling behind in their studies, the frequent breaks will disrupt the school calendar.
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“The school principals on the other hand will demand school fees once the students come back from the break,” noted an agitated parent.
If there is another election, students will be forced to stay home longer, interfering with the curriculum.
Furthermore, some parents expressed concern about their children’s safety as they returned home from school during these tense political times.
School leaders are also concerned that the quality of education may suffer as a result of the frequent breaks, which force them to rush through the curriculum to make up for lost time.
This year alone, KNEC will conduct the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education , Kenya Secondary Education , Grade three Examinations, and Grade six Examinations, all of which may now be jeopardized.
TSC Grants Teachers Leave Ahead Of Elections