TSC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nancy Macharia speaking during National Schools Principal Forum in Kisumu. [Washington Onyango, Standard]

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is hiring 154 tutors for the diploma trainee teachers who joined college last year.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said following the introduction of the Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (DPTE) last year there has been staffing strain.

The first and second cohorts of trainees were admitted in May and October last year, respectively.

The crisis, Ms Macharia said, was also brought about by readmission of unemployed P1 teachers and nursery school teachers to upgrade their certificates.

The two groups are undertaking Diploma in Primary Teacher Education and Diploma Early Childhood Teacher Education (DECTE) respectively.

“The net effect is on teacher requirements to meet the demands of the Competency-Based Teacher Education (CBTE) and the expanded learning areas. This demand is further aggravated by annual retirement of lecturers and the recent promotion of lecturers to take up positions in secondary schools,” said Dr Macharia.

Consequently, TSC is hiring 130 trainers who will be posted to the 35 Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs).

Another 24 will be hired to boost teaching staff at Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (CEMASTEA).

This brings to 154, the total number of required staff. 

“To mitigate this demand, the vacancies will be filled competitively by interested qualified teachers from secondary schools. Vacancies in secondary schools will be filled by teacher exits for the period June 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021,” said  Macharia.

According to TSC, the said vacancies will be filled purely for deployment and not for promotion, and will involve validation of documents.

“Interested candidates, who meet the requirements, should submit their applications online not later than January 25,” reads the communication.

Those who will be deployed to CEMASTEA, will be required to have a minimum grade of C4, T-Scale 9, Senior Master IV.

They must also have a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (Science) or its equivalent and should have been a County Trainer-CEMASTEA for at least three years.

Successful candidates must also have demonstrated professionalism and good performance, have demonstrated proficiency in computer literacy and ICT integration in teaching and also participated in the performance appraisal process.

And for those who will be deployed to TTCs, they will be required to have a minimum grade of C4, T-Scale 9, Senior Master IV.?

They should also be holders of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education or its equivalent and have participated in the performance appraisal process.??

For those who will be deployed to TTCs, 13 will teach mathematics, and a similar number will also teach Agriculture.

Some 18 teachers will teach Music and 17 deployed to teach Home Science.

Other areas that have staffing deficits are Physics/Chemistry (Science And Technology), Biology/Chemistry (Science And Technology ), Computer Studies/(ICT integration), Physical Education, English/Lit and Kiswahili/CRE.

Other subjects are Art and Design (Art & Craft), Fine Art(Art & Craft), History/Geography-(Social studies), Islamic Religious Education, Woodwork and French.