TSC Interdicts Non-Local Teachers Seeking Transfers From North Eastern Over Security Concerns
The Teachers Service Commission has dealt a significant blow to non-local teachers seeking transfers out of north-eastern Kenya due to insecurity by interdicting them for desertion of duty.
In September, the commission issued a directive instructing teachers to report to their assigned workstations.
The affected teachers who accuse the TSC of going above its mandate have announced that they will camp out in front of the commission’s headquarters next week and petition parliament to intervene.
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Geoffrey Kipng’eno Lelon is a teacher from the county of Kericho who resides in the county of Mandera. The teachers say they were unable to return to their workstations due to what he and others describe as insecurity.
“Tunalipa police reserve 1500 ndio tuchungwe… By road, Hauwezi travel is 1,100 kilometers, and air travel costs 12,000. We cannot afford.” lamented Lelon.
In letters sent to the affected teachers, the commission led by Nancy Macharia cited a violation of the Teachers Service Commission Act, alleging that they had breached clause (b)(iv) of the Third Schedule of the Act.
The teachers were accused of deserting their duties from September 9, 2023, to the present while teaching at Rhamu Day Secondary School and Fincharo Primary School, respectively.
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As a result, they were interdicted with effect from September 22, 2023, which applies to all the affected teachers served by the TSC.
Fearing retaliation from the employing authority, some of the afflicted teachers who sought unanimity condemned the TSC’s decision.
“I was personally summoned to the TSC and instructed to create a list of individuals who had not returned. Then, to my astonishment, after I compiled the list, the transfers were changed to interdiction. That is why we are really agitated and bewildered,” Joseph, an affected teacher, said.
The teachers have been camping out at the TSC headquarters for weeks in an effort to be relocated out of the region, citing insecurity caused by the Al-Shabaab terror threat and community hostility. The teachers claim that TSC has made no effort to resolve their concerns.
“TSC has disregarded our requests and refused to comply with them. This is the reason for the abandonment. Today is a working day, so I should be in school teaching, but nobody can work if their life is in jeopardy,” Joseph explained.
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In the letters sent to the affected teachers, TSC outlined a seven-step appeals process prior to deciding the cases.
The following procedures were outlined for interdicted educators: they were invited to submit defense statements within 21 days, had the chance to meet the commission in person, and were requested to identify the nearest TSC sub-county to report to once a month.
Additionally, the TSC mandated them to provide supplementary evidence to support their claims, vacate their offices, furnish their addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers, and give up their annual leave.
The reprimanded teachers now claim they will demonstrate in front of the TSC offices on Monday.
TSC Interdicts Non-Loca Teachers Seeking Transfers From North Eastern Over Security Concerns
