31 national schools including Alliance Girls will have new principals in January

Chogoria Girls Principal Virginia Gitonga flanked by her school teachers check through a mobile phone results of their first students shortly after being released by CS Fred Matiang'i. [PHOTO: KEVIN NGAI/STANDARD]

Panic has hit the 310,000 teachers as the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) begins massive transfers in line with the new rationalisation policy.

TSC has moved 557 school principals and deputies effective January 1, 2018.

Those affected are 31 national schools including Alliance Girls, Limuru Girls, Kakamega High, Chavakali, Sironga Girls, Cardinal Otunga Boys, Nyambaria, Machakos Boys, Kangaru.

Alliance Girls principal now moves to Kitui Teachers Training College and will be replaced by Chogoria Girls principal.

Lwanga High School head teacher has been moved to Nguviu while Muthale head teacher has been transferred to Igoji.

Rejected

Igoki Boys head teacher swaps places with Nzambani principal as Nyangwa moves to Burieruri.

Lumuru High School head teacher also moves to Thogoto TTC. Siakago head teacher has been transferred to Muholo as Ciamanda principal goes to Gikumene.

Kanyuambora head teacher has been transferred to Gituro High as Yururu head teacher moves to Kijabe.

Nguviu Boys head teacher moves to Endarasha as Kangaru School principal goes to St Charles Lwanga.

Miathene High principal heads to Chinga while Kegonge has been tranfered to Mukuuni.

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia said the transfers have been effected in line with the new delocalisation programme meant to promote national integration.

Macharia said this will ensure fresh ideas are infused into institutions after long-stay of some head teachers.

Speaking to Saturday Standard, the TSC boss said the transfers will be implemented gradually until all the objectives of the policy are fully realised.

Those moved will have been asked to hand over by December 28. Head teachers and deputies thronged TSC offices to collect letters.

Some negotiated their transfer to new stations while some out rightly rejected the move, citing malice. Teachers unions yesterday rejected the transfers terming them vindictive.

“If you have worked closely with unions you get a letter. If you have ever crossed the line with your seniors you also get a letter,” said Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary general Wilson Sossion.

The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) secretary general Akello Misori, also weighed in calling the Commission to exercise sobriety in the exercise.

“Transfers happen but let it be realistic and justified and not based on malice,” Misori said.

Macharia however said the measures will help in improving learning outcomes in schools.

She said the reorganisation process was complete.

“We have completed the process of reorganising the headship of some schools in the country through staff redeployment in what we have come to refer to as delocalisation,” she said.

Enjoy higher perks

Defending the exercise, the TSC boss said this will renew teacher commitments and bring freshness in schools.

“I call upon all stakeholders to support this process and ask affected head teachers and principals to move to their new destinations as advised. We have tried to be as humane as possible in the arrangement,” she said.

Speaking during the release of the KCSE examinations, Macharia said the transfers were in line with the Code of Regulations for Teachers and Collective Bargaining Agreements signed between TSC and teachers’ unions.

She cited Regulation 70(8) of the Code of Regulation for Teachers, which states “In undertaking deployment, the Commission shall endeavor to delocalise the administration of public institutions.”

“The Code of Regulations and Code of Conduct and Ethics for Teachers shall form an integral part of this Agreement (CBA,)” adds Clause 4 of the CBAs.

A total of 78 teachers from Extra-County boy schools have been moved and a similar number shifted in the girls schools of the same category.

Eight principals have been posted to various national schools.

Data shows that another 134 vacant positions at the County Schools have been filled in the transfers, while 19 head teachers have been moved to the technical institutions.

On Wednesday, Macharia said a special job group has been created for head teachers which will see them enjoy higher perks.

It means that such teachers cannot be demoted to lower positions even if they under perform or if they decided not to take up their positions.

The Saturday Standard learnt that appointment to these positions will be on merit.

This means that the staff cannot opt to return to the classroom even if they declined to pick up the positions but would instead be forced to quit.

Addressing teachers in Mombasa recently, Macharia said that head teachers will not serve in their home counties.

She also said that the teachers will not be allowed to serve in one school for more than nine years.

“We are determined to assist the Government in enhancing national cohesion and bolstering professionalism and commitment in the teaching profession,” Dr Macharia said.

The plan also fits in the overall Government plan to evenly distribute teachers across schools.

President Uhuru Kenyatta this year directed stricter reallocation of the existing staffs to ensure equitable distribution across the regions. “I direct the TSC to rationalise teacher distribution in all counties so as to avail teachers to those currently disadvantaged,” Uhuru said early this year.

Teacher deployment in public schools is made on the account of Curriculum Based Establishment.