TSC Teachers Demand Transfers, Refuse to Return to Arid Regions After School Reopening
Teachers from other regions serving in Arid and Semi-Arid Land regions have not yet reported to work two weeks after the start of the third school year.
The 300 teachers who are still camping at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters vowed not to return to the area, saying they would not accept anything less than a transfer.
Peter Kamoen, a teacher in Mandera, reported that even after submitting a transfer request, his employer had no impact on the move.
Kamoen reported that for the past two weeks, they had been seeking an audience with TSC boss Dr. Nancy Macharia. However, he lamented that the commission continued to insist that they return to work.
Evans Nyaundi appealed to the Education Committee to intervene, stating that none of their previous requests had been heard.
Nyaundi urged Julius Melly and his committee to intervene and address their issues, with the hope that TSC would subsequently grant them a transfer.
Charles Achol, a teacher in the region, remarked that insecurity and a poor road network make transportation difficult and expensive.
Achol explained that due to the lack of security in the area, they were in the process of requesting transfers. He pointed out that the cost of air travel amounted to Sh25,000, which was higher than their monthly earnings of Sh21,756.
Upon reaching their destination, they were compelled to take refuge in makeshift accommodations resembling peacekeepers’ hideouts, where they had to carry out their work.
Achol further noted that these conditions discouraged teachers from visiting their homes during school holidays.
During a meeting with TSC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Nancy Macharia, Luanda MP Dick Maungu questioned how traumatized teachers can provide services to students.
Maungu expressed concern over the safety of the teachers, emphasizing that their lives were in jeopardy. He questioned the expectation that a teacher could hide overnight and then be able to effectively teach students the following day.
Haro Abdul, a member of parliament for Mandera South, remarked that teachers waste a great deal of time pursuing their transfers, preventing them from serving the intended students.
Abdul wondered about the timing of teachers attending to the needs of their students while they were occupied with the process of seeking transfers and moving from one office to another.
He raised the concern that such disruptions might have a detrimental impact on the education of children, highlighting the potential harm being done to them.
Rebecca Tonkei, a MP for Narok, criticized TSC, stating that a year after the parliamentary directive, the Commission is still preventing 26,871 teachers’ transfers against their will.
Tonkei pointed out that despite teachers applying for transfers, there were instances where they were retained against their wishes.
However, according to Dr. Macharia, the need for replacement, the availability of openings, personnel policies, and medical reasons all play a role in teacher transfers.
Dr. Macharia stated that the Commission had a statutory obligation to ensure the fair distribution and efficient deployment of teachers in all public basic learning institutions.
This was in line with the goal of guaranteeing that students throughout the country had access to quality education.
Dr. Macharia stated that the majority of ASAL teachers requested transfers back to their native countries.
Dr. Macharia cited several reasons for the challenges faced in transferring teachers, including the absence of suitable replacements, the absence of job vacancies in certain counties, and a scarcity of local teachers willing to fill positions in arid and hard-to-staff areas.
In a separate meeting with the Education Committee of the National Assembly, chaired by Tinderet MP Julius Melly, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki stated that many teachers were compelled to remain in makeshift or police stations for their safety.
Kindiki stated, “We have relocated all non-local teachers from dangerous to safer areas until the current wave of threats subsides.”
Melly desired the government to guarantee the safety of teachers beginning with the third school year.
Melly expressed concern about the imminent closure of schools and their scheduled reopening in a month’s time.
He highlighted the plight of teachers who had witnessed the loss of their colleagues and were now dealing with the emotional trauma and stigmatization as a result.
He posed the question of how they could best support these teachers in coming to terms with their experiences.
Kindiki stated, “We have placed them all in a location where we believe their safety is assured while we continue to address the issue.”
The CS urged the TSC to transfer non-local teachers after a brief period of service, and the government to provide scholarships for local students to enroll in teaching programs.
TSC Teachers Demand Transfers, Refuse to Return to Arid Regions After School Reopening