By PETER OPIYO
President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have submitted to Parliament a new list of nominees to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).
Parliament last week rejected an earlier list of nominees following claims that the persons picked did not qualify. In the new list, the only addition is Cleopas Tirop, the principal of Nairobi School, who was said to be more qualified, but was left out in the original list.
Kiragu wa Magochi has been nominated to be the chair of the commission while Mr Tirop, Fredrick Haga Ochieng, and Adan Sheikh Abdullahi would be members should the House approve the list.
The parliamentary committee on education is expected to vet the nominees and forward its report for adoption today. The MPs had been unhappy that some names of deserving candidates had been left out. Lydia Nzomo, who led in the interviews for the position of TSC chairperson, was not shortlisted for the position.
Dr Nzomo, from Meru County, scored 80.3 per cent, according to the score sheet by the interviewing panel. Instead, Mr Magochi from Murang’a County, who came second with 73.3 per cent, was picked, and so was Mr Simon Kavisi from Kitui County, who came third with 70.1 per cent and Mr Mbarak Twahir from Mombasa County who was fourth with 69.3 per cent. The principals chose Magochi.
The selection panel also skipped those who were ranked one to three in the positions of members of TSC. Mr Ochieng, who scored an average of 71.6 per cent, was ranked in fourth place.
