Roles of Education county directors outlined

By Allan Kisia

The Government has moved to clarify that county directors of education and Teachers Service Commission (TSC) officials will not be playing the same role.

Education minister Mutula Kilonzo said the two groups have distinct but complementary functions.

Kilonzo said county directors of education will assume all the functions previously performed by provincial directors of education except those that had been delegated to them by TSC.

“The ministry would like to clarify that the functions TSC has been vested with, under Article 237 of the Constitution, are strictly human resource management functions,” he explained.

Kilonzo further explained that these  included teacher recruitment, staffing, promotion, transfers, certification, disciplinary control and termination of employment.

There has been concern over the roles of the two groups following recent deployment of officers by both institutions to the counties.

implementing policy

In a statement, Kilonzo said the formulation of policies and programmes and other matters relating to education remain the preserve of the minister for Education.

“County directors of education will in fact be implementing policies and programmes the minister has formulated in consultation with other stakeholders,” added Kilonzo.

He said the directors will further ensure quality and standards of education in the counties are upheld as well as managing and monitoring Free Primary Education and subsidised secondary education.

The minister noted that county directors deployed in Kisumu, Kakamega, Nakuru, Nyeri, Embu, Nairobi, Garissa and Mombasa will take over the offices, assets and liabilities that were formerly under provincial directors of education.