Senator Okenyuri Questions TSC's Reluctance To Hire Teachers On Permanent Terms: "Give Reasons"

• On Wednesday, August 23, President William Ruto promised to promote 5,000 teachers directly and 36,000 indirectly
• President Ruto also disclosed a plan with the Teachers Service Commission to motivate teachers in different cadres
• However, Esther Okenyuri said the standing committee on education should state the total number of teachers employed by the TSC

Dennis Lubanga, a Kenyan journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than 10 years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Nairobi – Teachers hired by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on contract terms have stagnated in their positions for a long time.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke after demanding answers from the standing committee on education regarding the fate of these teachers, nominated senator Esther Okenyuri regretted that this was happening in this age and era.

“This afternoon on the floor of the Senate I have sought a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Education on career growth paths for teachers hired by TSC on contract terms,” Okenyuri said.

What Esthe Okenyuri wants the education commitee to state

In the statement, Okenyuri said the committee should state the total number of teachers employed by the TSC on non-permanent and pensionable terms and state how many per year of recruitment.

“Also, explain whether these contracts employed teachers are not eligible for employment by TSC on permanent and pensionable terms during regular replacement recruitments within the TSC, and if they are not eligible give the reason for their discrimination,” said the UDA nominated MP.

The youthful senator who co-chairs the Trade, Industalisation and Tourism Committee also wants the standing education committee to elaborate on the career growth path plans in place by the TSC to grow and advance the careers of these young contract-employed teachers.

"I also ask the committee to indicate where in the TSC human resource policy or TSC regulations such a plan is captured," she added.

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that on Wednesday, August 23, President William Ruto promised to promote 5,000 teachers directly and 36,000 indirectly.

What President William Ruto promised teachers

President Ruto also disclosed a plan with the Teachers Service Commission to motivate teachers in different cadres in the country.

"We have worked with the TSC so that we can incentivise our teachers to bring out their best by making sure that teachers who do well will be promoted."

"This year, we have provided for the promotion of 5,000 teachers directly, and 36,000 teachers will be promoted indirectly. We have provided a billion shillings that will go in that direction," Ruto said. His comments surprised a section of teachers who wondered what mode of promotion the head of state was talking about.

How a genuine job promotion should look like

Speaking on TV47's Matukio, Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Deputy Secretary General Hesbon Otieno explained that any promotion without a salary increase is not a promotion.

"All promotions must come with some salary increase. I have heard others say that promotion means being made a senior teacher from a class teacher or a senior teacher to a deputy headteacher, and the salary remains the same. That is not a promotion. It is being given extra work and being used like a donkey," Otieno opined.

Reached for comment, Otieno said he needs to be educated on the direct and indirect promotion model because the role is purely a human resource and collective bargaining issue.