Release teachers for polls, Teachers Service Commission orders

TSC CEO Nancy Macharia. The Commission has allowed teachers to work as electoral officials. [Photo: File, Standard]

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has allowed its staff contracted by the electoral agency as poll officials to participate in the coming repeat polls.

An internal memo from TSC dated October 6 however requires the teachers to seek formal permission from the commission’s county directors.

“You are required to release teachers identified by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to participate in the presidential election,” said Mary Rotich, acting director, teacher management.

“This should be done in writing and copies of the same submitted to the Commission together with a list for record purposes by October 18, 2017.”

The memo is sent to all TSC County Directors.

The directive follows another circular released last month by TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia.

In the circular dated September 7, Ms Macharia said teachers contracted by the IEBC will be free to participate in the coming elections as poll officials.

“All teachers selected by the IEBC to officiate in the conduct of the presidential elections must obtain prior written permission from their respective county directors,” she wrote.

Macharia however cautioned that teachers must remain non-partisan and shun acts that might lead to cases of “real or perceived conflict of interest in performance of their work”.

She also insisted that all the 310,000 teachers must strive to complete the syllabus ahead of the national examinations.

Integrity issues

The Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations begin October 31 while rehearsals for Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) will be done on November 3 as written examinations kick off November 6.

A total of 1,003,556 candidates will sit this year’s KCPE while 615,773 were registered for KCSE.

Data shows that some 6,037 KCPE and 7,001 KCSE private candidates also registered for 2017 examinations.

There will be 28,566 examination centres for the KCPE and 9,350 for KCSE.

All primary schools are set to close on October 25, a day after form one to three students will have been released to go home.

Macharia also called on teachers to observe the highest level of integrity at every stage in the administration and processing of examinations.

“Leave for teachers to travel outside the country other than on medical or other emergency grounds will only be considered after the examinations,” she said.

Meanwhile, the teachers’ employer also wants learners’ safety and discipline enhanced during this examination term.

“All principals in institutions with boarding facilities, their deputies, boarding masters/mistresses and other key staffs should at all times reside within the school compound,” said Macharia.