KNUT Pushes for Teacher-Led TSC as Nancy Macharia’s Term Ends.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) is pushing for a change in leadership at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), calling for the appointment of a professional with a teaching background. The union believes that placing a trained teacher at the helm would restore trust and strengthen ties between the commission and educators.
Desmond Langat, the Executive Secretary of KNUT in Bomet, emphasized that the gap between teachers and the commission has grown wider due to a lack of representation in leadership.
He explained that many other professional commissions are headed by individuals from within their respective sectors and insisted that the same should apply to the TSC. Langat stressed that someone familiar with the classroom experience would enhance decision-making and improve communication within the sector.
While speaking in Mulot, Langat argued that having an experienced teacher in the Nancy Macharia‘s CEO position would allow for more effective policy formulation and a deeper understanding of the real-life challenges educators face. He highlighted that educators need a leader who not only knows the system but has also lived it.
Langat further addressed employment concerns, urging the TSC to consider the age of applicants during the recruitment process. He warned that several trained teachers are approaching retirement without having secured any formal employment. According to him, the current approach to hiring overlooks many long-suffering qualified professionals.
In a show of growing concern, Langat revealed that over 80 teachers in Bomet County alone who graduated in 2018 are still unemployed. He described the situation as disheartening, adding that these educators have waited far too long for opportunities that never materialized.
The union also took a strong stance against any proposed plans to scrap hardship allowances. Instead, KNUT is advocating for the expansion of hardship zones to include regions such as Chepalungu, Sotik, Kipreres, and Chepchabas. The union said teachers working in these areas endure difficult conditions that must be acknowledged officially.
Langat stated that educators stationed in the affected regions grapple with poor infrastructure, insecurity, and a general lack of basic services. He maintained that these hardships make it difficult for teachers to operate effectively and should be compensated appropriately
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This call for reform comes as the current TSC CEO, Nancy Macharia, approaches the end of her term later this month, after having led the commission since 2015. Her imminent exit has sparked renewed debate over the direction and leadership of the TSC.
Amid this transition, Langat expressed optimism that a new leader drawn from the teaching profession could usher in a more collaborative and responsive era. “Teachers across the country are hopeful that this will be a turning point,” he said. “We need leadership that listens, understands, and walks with us.”
KNUT Pushes for Teacher-Led TSC as Nancy Macharia’s Term Ends.