Ogambo proposes co-opting Education Ministry as TSC agent » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 1-Education Cabinet Secretary nominee Julius Ogambo has proposed the coopting of the ministry as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) agent to enhance oversight on school principals and ensure prompt sanctions.
The Education nominee explained the school principals were violating the Ministry of Education guidelines because the Teachers Service Commission had failed to institute punitive measures against rogue teachers.
“The problem arises in the constitution with TSC because it’s mandated to discipline teachers because as a MOE we just disburse funds and it doesn’t have the mandate to discipline teachers where they don’t follow circulars,” Ogambo stated.
The House team raised concerns on free education program following revelations by parents that school principals were imposing extra levies contravening Ministry of Education guidelines.
Parents have previously lamented that they are being forced to dig deeper in their pockets to fill the financial deficit gap to ensure smooth operation in schools.
The Teachers Service Commission Act, 2012, empowers it to discipline teachers in public schools across the country.
The Commission’s primary responsibilities in this regard include investigating allegations of professional misconduct, conducting disciplinary proceedings, and imposing appropriate sanctions on those found guilty of violating the professional code of conduct.
The proposal by the Education CS nominee is said to escalate war between the teachers employer and the Ministry of Education with TSC previously fighting bids for transfer of some of their responsibilities.
Previously, The Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER) has proposed that the Ministry of Education takes over key functions currently exclusively performed by TSC.
In the far-reaching policy proposals, the ministry will have a say in the transfer and promotion of teachers, a role that is at the core of the TSC mandate.
The proposal, it has emerged, was informed by the fact that while the ministry releases billions of shillings to schools, it has no influence over the fund managers who report directly to TSC.
This is because, school heads are designated TSC agents in learning institutions yet they superintend over the use of funds from the ministry as managers.
The proposal makes headteachers answerable to the ministry, a departure from the current practice where they are accountable to TSC.
Under the proposals, school heads will be agents of the Ministry of Education as accountable and authorised officers.
The taskforce has concluded that TSC does not have the capacity to supervise financial management at schools and want the ministry to take over the function.
”Where there has been a case of mismanagement of funds or resources by a headteacher or principal, the Ministry of Education cannot hold the headteacher to account nor is he/she involved in their discipline,” the draft report reads in part.
In the proposals, TSC may also lose its exclusive powers to oversee disciplinary matter touching on teachers as that will be handled by an independent tribunal.
Aggrieved teachers, who have been processed by TSC over disciplinary cases, will have an opportunity for review at the ministry’s Education Appeals Tribunal.
Currently, TSC handles appeals through an ad-hoc committee of the commission known as the Teachers Service Review Committee.
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