Why TSC should be protected from vested interests

There has been a sustained attack on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) in recent months. For the record, any public institution must be open to scrutiny and criticism. The TSC is not perfect and it has its fair share of challenges.

However, what we are witnessing lately is not constructive criticism but an orchestrated attempt to delegitimise an institution that has done remarkably well in stabilising the teaching service during one of the most turbulent periods in Kenya’s education history. It is unfair to criticise without offering alternatives or acknowledging the good things someone has initiated.

When Dr Nancy Macharia’s tenure ended, many expected chaos and confusion in the leadership transition.

Yet, under the stewardship of the acting CEO, Dr Eveleen Mitei, the TSC has remained steady. Dr Mitei, a seasoned education administrator, has shown firmness and understanding in balancing the interests of the government, teachers and the public.

The ongoing transition from the old education system to the competency-based curriculum (CBC) and the introduction of the Senior School have posed enormous logistical and human resource challenges.

Yet, the commission has navigated these transitions smoothly - deploying, training and promoting teachers in record numbers to meet the new system’s demands.

The commission has facilitated the training of thousands of teachers on the CBC approach, ensuring that no learner is left stranded because of a lack of qualified instructors.

This has been achieved despite budgetary constraints, delayed disbursement of funds and shifting policy demands from the Ministry of Education. There has also been an improvement in teachers’ welfare and career progression.

For years, teachers lamented stagnation - some spending over a decade in one job group without promotion. Under the current TSC leadership, those concerns have been addressed systematically. Thousands of teachers have received long-awaited promotions.

The implementation of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), negotiated between the unions and the commission, has been honoured in both spirit and letter. It is important to remember that many of these gains came at a time when other public sector workers were facing wage freezes and austerity.

Equally commendable is how the commission has handled the issue of teachers’ health insurance. The AON-Minet scheme had its fair share of complaints, but under the current management, there has been a deliberate effort to review the policy framework, streamline service delivery and ensure teachers receive value for their money.

The commission has established open channels for feedback and redress. Currently, the commission is migrating the over 400,000 teachers to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).

The TSC has also remained steadfast in maintaining professionalism within the teaching service. Through effective supervision, disciplinary procedures, and teacher management systems, the commission has ensured that the dignity of the profession is upheld.

While critics accuse the TSC of being high-handed or bureaucratic, they forget that every profession requires discipline and accountability.

The commission’s insistence on merit-based appointments, strict adherence to ethical standards and the use of digital platforms for transparency are steps in the right direction.

What is perhaps most unfortunate is that much of the criticism aimed at the TSC appears politically motivated. The noise about “radical surgery” and “restructuring” is not born of genuine concern for teachers but from personal ambitions and power games.

The position of CEO is vacant, and there are those eyeing it desperately. In their quest for visibility, they have resorted to smearing the very institution they hope to lead. That kind of hypocrisy should be called out.

It is also noteworthy that the TSC is one of the few independent commissions that have remained functional and professional despite political turbulence. It has resisted capture, maintained institutional memory, and delivered on its constitutional mandate of registering, deploying, and disciplining teachers.

This consistency has provided predictability in a sector that is the backbone of our national development.

Let us give credit where it is due. The TSC has provided stability, professionalism, and direction in a sector that is often mired in politics and emotion. Instead of tearing it down, we should strengthen it. For in defending TSC, we defend the future of our teachers and by extension, the future of our children.

Ashford Kimani is an English and Literature teacher