TSC MEETS EDUCATION COMMITTEE, REVEALS PLAN TO ELEVATE 7,000 PRIMARY SCHOOL TUTORS TO TEACH IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS

National Assembly, 14/02/2023

The Departmental Committee on Education chaired by Hon Julius Melly (Tinderet) has been told that over 7,000 primary school teachers will be elevated to teach in Junior Secondary Schools.

Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia while appearing before the committee today, revealed that the process to identify the tutors has already started, assuring the MPs that the exercise will be completed soon.

” The country needs to know if there are any plans to promote teachers currently teaching in primary schools and deploy them to Junior Secondary Schools. And if yes, what is the number of tutors that will be elevated ?” posed the Committee Chairperson.

“TSC has through the verification of personal files; identified 7,282 primary school teachers with requisite qualifications to teach in secondary schools as eligible for deployment to Junior Secondary Schools,” responded Ms Macharia who was accompanied by the agency’s chairman Jamleck Muturi and other commissioners.

Hon Melly led members of the House team in quizzing the TSC officials in a number of other key issues affecting the important docket including the contentious medical cover for teachers, recruitment processes, promotion, and delocalization of teachers.

Earlier in the morning, the committee Vice chairperson Malulu Injendi( Malava) put the commission on the spot on why teachers are forced to pay money when they visit hospitals, while they have a medical cover.

“Why are teachers compelled to make some payments when they look for medical attention? Why should they pay?” wondered Hon Malulu.

“ Co-pay is a standard practice. Even us in the secretariat make an extra payment we go to hospitals. For teachers, we actually negotiated and have the amount at Sh100 only, other people pay Sh500. This is quite affordable if you ask me,” said Macharia.

The Committee is scheduled to have another meeting with the Commission officials on Thursday to consider the Supplementary Budget estimates for the 2022/2023 financial year.