TSC: Teachers must declare wealth

Teachers have up to the end of this month to declare their wealth, Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia has said.

In a firm instruction issued to school heads, TSC wants all teachers to fill the wealth declaration forms and specific reasons provided for those who fail to comply.

"Individual teachers are expected to submit sealed envelopes containing their declaration forms to the head teachers. Under no circumstance should individual teachers submit their declaration of wealth forms to TSC headquarters, either in person or through postage," said Ms Macharia in a circular seen by The Standard. All duly filled forms must be sent to the TSC head office by December 31.

New employees must also submit their initial declaration within 30 days after becoming a public officer, whose statement date should be the date he/she became a public officer, reads the circular.

"Those in breach of this rule will be declared non-compliant," said Macharia in the circular dated October 5.

Macharia makes reference to Section 26 of the Public Officer Ethics Act, 2003, Revised 2009 that states: "Every public officer shall, once every two years submit to the responsible commission a declaration of the income, assets and liabilities of himself, his spouse or spouses and his dependent children under the age of 18 years."

"It is for this reason that the commission is instructing its employees to strictly comply with the provisions on declaration of income, assets and liabilities," said Ms Macharia.

She directed all school heads to ensure all details are captured in the declaration forms and that all teachers have complied.

The heads must indicate whether teachers who have not filed the forms are on study leave, special leave, maternity leave, sick leave, discipline cases or interdictions, and those who have died in the course of the declaration period. The circular is copied to all TSC directors, county directors and head teachers of primary and secondary schools.