Top education figures line up for TSC top job

Former Basic Education PS Julius Jwan and former KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion are among those eyeing the TSC CEO job. [File, Standard]

The contest to appoint the next Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive Officer is set to resume following the High Court’s lifting of an injunction that had frozen the recruitment process since May last year.

The ruling clears the way for the Commission to continue the exercise, which will see the appointment of the 10th CEO in TSC’s history, setting the stage for a tightly contested battle among seasoned education administrators, long-serving insiders, and politically connected figures.

The position is one of the most powerful in the public service, overseeing more than 400,000 teachers, controlling a massive wage bill running into hundreds of billions of shillings, and shaping key decisions on teacher recruitment, deployment, discipline, and professional development.

Among the toughest tasks awaiting the new TSC boss will be navigating staffing challenges linked to the transition to senior school. School heads have indicated a shortage of teachers for new learning areas introduced in Grade 10.

These include Sports Science, Aviation Technology, Building Construction, Electricity, Metalwork, Power Mechanics, Woodwork, Media Technology, Marine and Fisheries Technology, and Geospatial Technology.

The Commission has not disclosed the number of applicants after the process was paused.

Among those considered possible successors are senior TSC staff, including Antonina Lentoijoni, Director of Staffing; Cheptumo Ayabei, Finance Director; Dr Reuben Nthamburi, Director of Quality Assurance and Standards; and Gabriel Mathenge, Head of Operations.

Lentoijoni manages one of the Commission’s most sensitive departments, handling teacher recruitment, transfers, promotions, and disciplinary cases. Her work directly affects teachers across the country, making her a familiar figure within the profession. Her long service has given her a deep understanding of staffing gaps, hardship postings, and the challenges of fair teacher deployment.

Mathenge previously served as personal assistant to the immediate former CEO, Dr Nancy Macharia, before rising through the ranks. He now oversees daily operations and coordination across departments, giving him a comprehensive understanding of how the Commission functions.

Ayabei, the Director of Finance, has also served at TSC for decades, managing finances through periods of budget cuts, salary negotiations, and a growing teacher population. He is also a trained teacher.

Dr Nthamburi has been a regular public face for the Commission, explaining policies, teacher appraisal systems, professional development requirements, and education standards. His role places him at the heart of teacher performance management, an area that has attracted both support and criticism from unions.

 The current Acting CEO, Evaleen Mitei, did not apply for the post.

Other contenders include former Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Jwan and former KNUT Secretary-General Wilson Sossion.

Dr Jwan previously served as Director of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), where he played a central role in designing and rolling out the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).Jwan is viewed as a policy expert who will influence curriculum and teacher training. 

Sossion, who built his profile as a unionist, openly challenged successive governments and the TSC over teacher pay, promotions and working conditions. 

During his time at Knut, he led nationwide strikes that paralysed learning and forced the government into negotiations. 

Supporters say his deep understanding of teacher grievances gives him a unique advantage, while critics argue his confrontational style and past clashes with the commission could work against him.

Sossion is also said to be weighing his options to vie for the seat of the Knut Secretary General with the election set for April.

The recruitment comes at a difficult time for the education sector. 

Teachers continue to complain about staff shortages, delayed promotions and insecurity in parts of the country. Unions are demanding reforms, while parents and policymakers are pushing for better learning outcomes under the new curriculum.