Teachers, State in fresh row over TSC nominees

By AUGUSTINE ODUOR

Teachers are headed for another battle with the Government over the proposed names to fill senior positions at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

Kenya National Union of Teachers  (Knut) has said it will reject the proposed list of names because it does not reflect regional balance and merit. The union’s National Chairman Wilson Sossion and acting Secretary General Xavier Nyamu said they were privy to persons who were ranked top during the interviews and vowed to reject the list.

After consultation, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga forwarded the names of the nominees for the position of members of the TSC. The names proposed were Kahindi Ziro James, Fredrick Haga Ochieng’, and Adan Sheikh Abdullahi.

But Knut says Nairobi School principal Cleopas Tirop emerged top for the position of commissioners and wondered why his name was not on the list. “We had representation in the selection panel that was chaired by James Kamunge. We know how each of them performed. All we want is transparency in the process,” said Sossion.

He said only three regions were to be represented in the selection process, citing Rift Valley, Coast and North Eastern. But the list given to Parliament did not include Rift Valley. Instead, a commissioner was appointed from Nyanza.

“Tirop was the best candidate to be in the commission because he comes from one of the regions that were to be filled. Furthermore he emerged top in the interview,” said Nyamu. Among those interviewed for the position of chairperson were the Commission’s director of policy at the Ministry of Education, Kirago wa Magochi and Simon Kavisi of TSC.

The warning by Knut comes as Members of Parliament also raised a red flag over the impending appointment of the TSC officials. They said the House will not pass any names proposed by the selection panel if they do not reflect regional and ethnic balance.

The legislators also questioned why the panel chaired by educationist Kamunge only advertised four positions instead of nine, as required under the TSC Act.