Call for Transparent and Merit-Based Teacher Recruitment and Promotion Intensifies

Education stakeholders in Kakamega County, including parents and teachers, are urging the government to prioritize merit in the recruitment, promotion, and deployment of teachers. They contend that prioritizing merit will help rectify regional disparities in teacher-to-student ratios and enhance the quality of education nationwide.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been urged to meticulously follow legal protocols during the recruitment of teachers to prevent political interference, which many claim has increasingly complicated the process.

A recent promotion initiative involving 151,611 teachers ignited intense discussions in the National Assembly. Lawmakers criticized the procedure, bringing to light issues of favoritism and irregularities within the TSC.

Members of Parliament on the Education Committee noted that the commission appeared to favor newly recruited teachers over those with greater experience. They also mentioned an uneven distribution of promotion opportunities, with some counties receiving significantly more than others.

According to these MPs, “teachers who scored 80 percent in interviews were promoted over those who scored 100 percent. ” They further accused TSC CEO Nancy Macharia and board chairman Jamleck Muturi of presenting false documents, calling for a transparent reassessment of the promotion criteria.