Special needs teachers say Teachers Service Commission is biased

By Charles Ngeno

Kenya: Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been accused of failing to pay allowances to some special needs education teachers.

Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers secretary general James Torome said TSC partially paid some teachers and left others.

“This allowance was meant to be paid to all teachers trained in special needs education and who have been deployed to teach in special schools or units. However, this has not been complied with in some stations,” said Torome.

Teachers trained in special needs education were awarded allowance of Sh10,000 last July.

Torome has demanded that the teachers’ employer honours the pledge. “Our teachers do a lot of work apart from the usual implementation of the normal curriculum. As a way of rewarding their effort, TSC should pay them,” said Torome.

He added that the union will resist any attempts to close special need schools.

AIDS day

“We want to assure teachers that we have no official communication from the ministry to the effect that these units will be shut down. Teachers should treat such information as rumours,” he added. Branch executive secretary Malel Langat said with devolution, the Government should ensure every county has a HIV/Aids desk that will enable teachers know the legal and ethical aspects of the disease at their workstation.

“Assumption that HIV/Aids awareness among Kenyans is high is wrong and that is why the Government should devolve wellness units to county levels during this year’s World Aids Day in Bomet yesterday.

Langat said the move will also boost the fight against discrimination and stigma within the teaching fraternity.

“Like other Kenyans, teachers living with HIV/Aids are struggling to cope with stigma and discrimination,” he said.