Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers threatens to block teachers’ recruitment

By Onesmus Nzioka

MAKUENI, KENYA: Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers officials Makueni branch have threatened to go to court to stop the recruitment of additional and replacement of teachers exercise over discriminative guidelines.

Makueni Kuppet executive secretary Justus Kimeu, Chairman Alex Maingi and Treasurer Cosmus Muteti said the new TSC recruitment guidelines are discriminative to those who undertook bridging or Pre University courses before studying for a bachelor of education.

According to the 2013 recruitment guideline, a graduate candidate must have attained a mean grade/Subject grade of C+ in KCSE plus a bachelor of education in two teaching subjects.

This is different from the 2012 guidelines that stipulates thus, “Degree holders who may not have attained the minimum entry requirement of C+ should have a relevant pre-University, bridging course/A-level from a recognized institution.”

The 2012 document further states, “Bridging will be accepted for a candidate who attained mean grade/subject grade of C and should be done before admission to a course.”

The 2013 document is silent on the issue of bridging courses and Pre-university for those who may not have attained the minimum requirement of C+ in KCSE.

The officials are concerned that many potential candidates who undertook the bridging courses, a benchmark for qualification in previous years may be locked out.

“So many candidates sold their assets to undertake the bridging and Pre university courses. If TSC wanted to scrap bridging as a qualification requirement then it should outlaw its instruction in our learning institutions,” said Kimeu.

He said the union will go to court to stop the recruitment exercise unless TSC rescinds its decision not to consider those with bridging certificates.

“We are appealing to all candidates with bridging certificates who may be turned down by the interview panels to launch a complaint with us so we can launch a petition,” said Kimeu.

Maingi termed the new requirement as a great denial to justice, terming it ‘unconstitutional’.