TSC Starts Mass Transfer Of Teachers Ahead Of School Reopening In The New year
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) starts mass transfer of teachers ahead of school reopening in the new year where over 4500 teachers are affected.
In the mass transfer, TSC has moved over 2600 both primary and secondary classroom teachers, 1010 secondary school heads and 1,621 primary school heads to different workstations.
The mass delocalisation will also affect school heads and deputies. Most of those affected by the current transfers have stayed long in their former stations and those who were recently promoted to the position of headteachers or principals.
Another group of teachers who have received transfer letters include those who were transferred merely two years ago from their home counties.
Transfer letters for the primary heads are already in circulation since Monday last week and they are expected to report to their new stations from next week when schools reopen.
The transfers have come after earlier this year the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) had urged TSC to ensure that the transfers were conducted in a humane way.
According to KUPPET, the union is not against the delocalization of teachers instead the union urged the commission to consider several factors before transferring to teachers from their current stations.
Among the factors raised by the union included age, marital status, health, as well as other concerns which might affect teachers socially and psychologically.
Under the non-monetary CBA which was signed this year between TSC and teachers’ unions, re-uniting and keeping families together was one of the objectives while carrying out teacher transfers.
The mass transfer of the classroom teachers, deputies and heads of instructions was planned to take in July 2021 but was suspended due to a surge in the positivity rates of Covid-19 infections and deaths in most parts of the country.
However, TSC promised to commence the exercise when the situation deems safe.
According to TSC up to 4, 500 teachers were to be delocalized in July most of the targeted were school heads and their deputies working in their home counties as well as those who have been in the stations for more than nine (9) years.
The teacher delocalization policy has been an issue of controversy that has caused an uproar among teachers before. The first phase of the delocalisation of teachers was said to affect families and teachers with health problems.
According to TSC, delocalization is part of the government’s move to enhance national cohesion and boost professionalism and commitment in the teaching profession.
The main conditions according to TSC under which a teacher can be served with a transfer letter include:
If a teacher has worked in a station for more than five years.
When a teacher applies for a transfer under some medical conditions certified by a medic.
The need for equitable distribution and optimal utilization of teachers.
Availability of a teaching vacancy in the proposed station.
The need for replacement
The existing staffing norms which may be reviewed from time to time.
According to TSC, delocalization is part of the government’s move to enhance national cohesion and boost professionalism and commitment in the teaching profession.
