MPs reject TSC list of 25000 promoted teachers, demand for more data

On Tuesday, Members of Parliament (MPs) confronted the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) regarding what they described as biased and unclear promotion practices. The lawmakers called for transparency in the recent allocation of 25,252 promotion slots, pointing to issues of inequality and political influence.

During a session with the National Assembly Committee on Education, TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia defended the promotion process, asserting that it was legally based and decentralized to ensure regional representation. She stated, “The commission made sure that opportunities were available to everyone, with interviews held at the sub-county level to improve accessibility and fairness.”

These promotions were granted earlier this year following a Sh1 billion allocation from the National Treasury. Among those promoted, 5,690 teachers applied for positions advertised in November, while 19,943 responded to calls made in December of the previous year. Dr. Macharia noted that special consideration was given to teachers in acting roles, those who had been in the same job group for an extended period, and older teachers. Other factors in the evaluation included Teacher Performance Appraisal scores and participation in co-curricular activities.

However, MPs expressed doubts about the integrity of the process, claiming that some qualified teachers were overlooked while others received multiple promotions in a short time. Committee chair Julius Melly questioned the rationale behind what seemed to be an equal distribution of promotions across counties, arguing that it diverged from previous practices and did not take population dynamics into account. “How do you promote someone three times in a row while others have been stuck in one job group for over a decade?” Melly asked.

The committee instructed the commission to provide detailed data, including the number of applicants from each sub-county, the promotion criteria used, and the scoring metrics. “We’re asking the commission’s chairman, Jamleck Muturi, to supply complete documentation on the application and evaluation process. We want to understand how fairness and merit were assessed,” Melly added.

Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Gisairo also accused the commission of engaging in political maneuvering regarding the equitable distribution of teachers. He argued that the commission should have the authority to promote deserving teachers and redistribute them to different regions, as it is responsible for their promotions. “TSC allocated the same number of teachers to all counties, which raises questions about whether they are genuinely hiring teachers or simply trying to balance things out,” Gisairo stated.

Julius Taitamu, the Igembe North legislator, questioned how teachers from smaller counties received the same number of promotion slots as those from more populous counties. He described the distribution as unfair and not reflective of equitable principles.