50 teachers dismissed on account of misconduct

About 50 teachers will not report back to schools when they reopen in January after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) dismissed them from service.

The commission announced the dismissals after holding virtual hearings for 177 cases that had been pending after schools closed in March.

Twenty-three of those dismissed were new cases, while 26 were reviews for various offences. The TSC introduced the virtual hearings in August and has lined up more disciplinary cases before the end of the year.

The offences included misappropriation of funds and other ordinary crimes, while 25 teachers faced charges of “immoral behaviour”. Some teachers also appeared before their employer for review hearings for earlier cases.

“The hearing of discipline cases virtually was a milestone that supported dispensation of cases that had overstayed due to Covid-19 containment measures that saw schedules for hearing cases face-to-face in the field for March up to June 2020 cancelled,” Ms Mary Rotich, the director field services said.

Struck out of register

Fourteen tutors had their review for dismissal and removal from the teachers’ register upheld, whereas 16 new ones were dismissed and struck out of the register in October.

After review, 45 teachers had their earlier dismissal waived, but with a warning, while 14 others have been suspended within the period. Teachers who have been struck out of the register are by law not allowed to teach in any school, whether public or private.

The teachers’ employer has lined up 53 more cases to be heard by commissioners from today up to December 4. “We allow teachers to call their witnesses, just like in a face-to-face hearing. We give them the links just before the hearing begins and insist that they must show their faces during the entire hearing so that we may be sure we are dealing with the right person,” Betty Wababu, the head of corporate communications at the TSC told the Nation.

Only three teachers had their dismissal waived and interdiction revoked while six had their suspensions upheld. Eight others were suspended afresh.

TSC says it aims at reducing the occurrence of indiscipline among teachers and that it has approved a policy on implementation of tutor induction, mentorship and coaching.