Uproar over TSC’s scoring system for hiring teachers

Teachers who applied for the 11,574 vacancies advertised by their employer have bitterly complained that the scoring system used to recruit is grossly flawed and disadvantages some candidates.  

The jobseekers are now calling for a review of the system so that it gives all deserving candidates an equal chance based on their qualifications rather than the parameters set by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

The teachers said the system favours those who graduated earlier irrespective of their qualifications or performance at the interviews currently going on.

More than 300,000 teachers applied for jobs, exposing the level of joblessness among university and college graduates. The selection process started last Thursday and ends today (Wednesday) in all counties.

The commission had to reschedule the recruitment after it was overwhelmed by the high number of applicants. It sent lists of the qualified candidates to principals of schools where vacancies exist, but the selection process of the best candidates has elicited complaints from the applicants.

Locked out

Most of the candidates have not even bothered to appear before the interview panels since the scoring system locks them out outright.

“Why did they have to invite all 200 of us for the interviews when it is so clear only 15 candidates stand a chance? It’s a complete waste of time,” a candidate told the Nation.

For post-primary teachers, those who graduated in 2012 have been given a head start by being allocated a whopping 50 per cent of the marks, with last year’s graduates scoring 15 per cent. Anyone who graduated this year will score 10 marks in the section aimed at achieving equity.

TSC also introduced a section to reward teachers who signed up as interns last year by awarding them 10 per cent of the marks.

The internship programme has been criticised as exploitative, with interns in primary schools earning a paltry Sh10,000 and their secondary school counterparts Sh15,000. The pay gets lower when deductions for the personal insurance cover, education loan, hospital insurance, social security and tax are effected.

Academic qualifications

On the academic and professional qualifications section, a first class degree earns a candidate 35 per cent, second class (upper) 30 per cent, second class (lower) 25 per cent and a pass gets 20 per cent.

For diploma holders, a distinction earns 25 per cent, a credit 20 per cent and a pass 15 per cent.

During the oral interviews, a candidate can only score five marks for communication skills, presentation, participation in co-curriculum activities, students’ academic performance and special talents.

Candidates who may wish to lodge complaints have up to Thursday next week to do so at the county level, after which documents of successful candidates will be forwarded to the headquarters.

It will take officials at the commission 17 days to verify the results submitted before they send the official posting letters.

The newly employed teachers will report to work on January 4.