TSC to promote more than 2,000 teachers, hire 1,995 interns

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) yesterday advertised the promotions of more than 2,000 teachers and also made a call for 1,995 interns in primary and secondary schools.

A further 48 teaching posts in secondary schools on permanent and pensionable terms of service have been re-advertised. The positions had been advertised in June but did not attract applicants with the right subject combinations.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia yesterday said of the 2,403 teachers to be promoted, 1,376 will be from Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (Asals) and hard to staff areas.

The posts will see qualified teachers promoted to the positions of chief principals, senior principals, principals, deputy principals, senior masters, curriculum support officers, headteachers and deputy headteachers, under the Career Progressive Guidelines (CPGs).

Teachers interested in the promotions are required to submit online applications on the TSC website on or before September 28.

“Pursuit to this mandate, the commission invites applications from suitably qualified teachers for the posts shown below in line with the career progression guidelines for teachers,” said Dr Macharia.

In Asals, the TSC said it has vacancies for secondary school teachers, senior masters, deputy principals, primary teachers, senior teachers, deputy headteachers and headteachers.

Collective Bargaining Agreement

The promotion of teachers in the Asals is part of the promise by the TSC under the 2021-2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to fast-track their promotions.

The commission has also advised the recruitment of 1,995 intern teachers for both primary and secondary schools.

Dr Macharia said the positions are 1,038 for primary schools and 957 for secondary schools.

“In support of the government’s initiative to develop a pool of young talents for the Kenyan labour market, the TSC invites applicants from qualified candidates to fill 1,995 teacher internship posts,” said Dr Macharia.

The intern teachers attached to primary schools will receive a monthly stipend of 15,000, while those in secondary schools will get Sh20,000.

“The internship is a one-year programme meant to equip and sustain competencies of persons entering teaching service,” she said.

The programme targets unemployed registered teachers to be assigned to learning institutions where their teaching experience will be enhanced through mentorship, coaching and exposure to practical teaching.

The interns are required to have applied by Monday September 27, and are expected to report to their respective schools on January 3, 2022. Once they complete the programme, the interns will be awarded a certificate.

Over the past two years, TSC has been recruiting interns, giving them a higher chance of being employed on a permanent basis during recruitment of teachers.

In past recruitments, interns were given 30 points more than other unemployed teachers who had not gone through the TSC internship programme.

The move has been criticised by stakeholders as a disadvantage to the other trained teachers. More than 200,000 trained teachers work in private schools, while others are serving public schools as board of management teachers.

The recruitment of interns by the TSC was among the key issues that members of Parliament questioned the recently appointed commissioners on during their vetting.

Miss opportunities

The Education and Research Committee, chaired by Busia MP Florence Mutua, noted that the 30 points given to the intern teachers were a disadvantage to thousands of teachers who missed opportunities to join the one-year programme.

Yesterday, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (Kuppet) secretary general, Mr Akelo Misori, welcomed the promotions of teachers and recruitment of interns, and asked those who qualify to apply.

Mr Misori said the recruitment of interns and the advantage they get from TSC when seeking permanent jobs should be supported.

“As much as several issues have been raised over the advantage the intern teachers receive, you cannot compare them with someone who has refused to apply for the internship posts to continue working in other places,” said Mr Misori.

The continued recruitment of teachers is part of the government initiative to give youth employment opportunities and is meant to encourage more unemployed teachers to apply for the jobs, said the TSC.

The recruitment is also meant to solve the acute shortage of teachers in schools, especially in secondary schools, as the government continues to implement the 100 percent transition policy in primary and secondary schools.

More teachers in primary schools are also to be promoted to secondary schools ahead of the rollout of junior secondary school in two years’ time under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC).

The National Treasury gave TSC Sh2.5 billion to support recruitment of more teachers in this financial year.

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