TSC Cites Constitutional Breach as MoE Recruits ICT Interns.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) through the Public Service Commission (PSC) has started recruiting and deploying interns as ICT officers to primary schools across Kenya, raising concerns over overreach into functions constitutionally assigned to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
According to a public advert by the PSC and seen by Education News, the ICT interns will provide classroom support, facilitate digital learning implementation and train primary school teachers. They will work in a dual structure—rotating between designated schools and Ministry of Education Sub-County offices.
The recruitment which includes those registered with TSC has raised eyebrows from TSC officers. The concerns stem from potential breach of constitutional provisions on teacher management. As provided in the Constitution of Kenya and the Teachers Service Commission Act, TSC has the exclusive mandate to register, recruit, deploy and manage all teachers in public primary and secondary schools and teacher training colleges.
A senior TSC officer who requested anonymity asked: “Who will manage these teachers, who will be recruited as ICT interns?” The officer said. He added that TSC is the only body with constitutional mandate to register, hire, deploy and manage teachers in schools and teacher training colleges across Kenya.
The Ministry’s move comes at a time when there is institutional tension between TSC and MoE which culminated in the signing of a Framework for Engagement on May 15, 2024. The document signed by Deputy President Professor Kithure Kindiki was meant to harmonize the roles of the two institutions to enhance service delivery. However the full document has not been made public and its terms are unknown.
Also the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform (PWPER) whose report was published in 2023 recommended several structural changes including transfer of Quality Assurance function from TSC to MoE. This function is currently being done by Curriculum Support Officers stationed at the field level. TSC has not implemented most of these recommendations citing constitutional concerns on its independence and the sanctity of its statutory functions.
The Ministry of Education has not released the list of schools that will host the ICT interns. No formal communication has been made on the supervisory or administrative structures under which the interns will operate especially in relation to school heads and TSC field officers.
According to the Public Service Commission’s advert, the selected candidates will be on internship and will not be absorbed into the permanent and pensionable teacher workforce.
As of the time of publishing neither the Ministry of Education nor TSC had issued statements on the concerns raised on mandate overlaps or the framework agreement signed in May 2024.
TSC Cites Constitutional Breach as MoE Recruits ICT Interns.