Teachers Service Commission plans to revise teachers code of regulation

By CHARLES NGENO

KERICHO, KENYA: The Teachers Service Commission has initiated a process of revising two important documents that sets out the terms and conditions of service for the teaching service.

The commission now wants to revise the TSC code of regulations for Teachers and the TSC Code of Conduct and Ethics.

Commission Secretary Gabriel Lengoboini said the revision has become necessary because of the need to re-align them with the new constitution and the TSC Act.

Stating that the last revision for the code of regulations for teachers was done in 2005, Lengoboini said the commission has organised a stakeholders forum on this month on 22nd in line with article 232 (1) d of the constitution and section 4(b) of the TSC Act.

The TSC Code of Conduct and Ethics was last reviewed in 2003.

“The forum that will be held at the Kenya School of Government has invited views from teachers and all education stakeholders with a view of coming up with a document that is properly aligned with the new constitutional and legal framework,” he said.

He added that just like any other profession, there are many changes affecting the teaching service that have taken place thus necessitating the revision.

The first edition of the Code of Regulations for Teachers was compiled and published in 1976 and a second revision done in 1986.

For a long time teachers have accused the commission of having a code of conduct that has been discriminative. Several teachers have raised issues with how the commission has come up with hardship areas and the little amount the commission pays as responsibility allowance.

The code states that responsibility allowance will be paid to graduate teacher II/Approved teacher II on Job Group K and below who is deployed on administrative duties in a teaching institution.

A head teacher in a double stream school earns a responsibility allowance of Sh675 while his deputy and senior teacher takes home Sh180 and Sh135 per month respectively.

Bomet Knut Executive Secretary Malel Langat said the commission must look into ways of motivating the teachers by raising responsibility allowance to be at par with other civil servants.

He also maintained that the commission needs to standardise per diem that teachers are paid when they attend official functions.

“As a branch we shall be demanding that the commission review its criteria of determining areas that qualify for hardship allowance. We shall also be rooting for a review of responsibility allowance which is currently too little. We want it harmonised with that of other public servants,” said Langat.

Lengoboini welcomed teachers to give their views so that the commission can come up with a code that is agreeable.