New TSC policies will hurt ongoing education reform

I have always been pro–education reforms. That is why I hail the determination of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to rid our schools of alarming chronic teacher absenteeism.

My joy, however, fades in the face of the measures the teachers’ employer intends to employ to realise this noble cause. The fact that TSC intends to “tether” teachers in school during weekends and holidays raises many questions.

Even more disturbing is TSC’s intention to relegate co–curricular activities to the periphery - to be conducted on weekends and school holidays.

One of the key intentions of the planned new curriculum is to make learning more exciting. It lays emphasis on the need to help learners to identify their talents and sharpen them.

This means that the new curriculum places co–curricular activities at the centre of the teaching–learning process.

The implicit message that TSC is trying to relay by insisting that sporting events, music, and drama festivals be held during weekends and school holidays is that such activities are inferior to the formal curriculum. This is retrogressive and will impede the success of the new curriculum.

It beats logic for TSC to fight holiday tuition and then turn around and make teachers stay in school during weekends and school holidays. Doesn’t such a directive embolden teachers who erroneously believe that excessive teacher–learner contact is the magic that yields good grades?

Ideally, primary school children are supposed to be 15 years old and below. My question is, are the policy makers at the Ministry of Education and TSC aware that most primary school children arrive in school very early and get back home way past sunset?

And are they aware that these children are kept in class during weekends and school holidays? This denies children their childhood.

TSC must change tack otherwise it risks flooding our society with even more robotic and straightjacket thinkers. Children need time to play, actually a lot of it.

Every educationist worth his or her salt knows that play enhances creativity and makes learning less boring and oppressive.

Don’t these policy makers know that teacher performance appraisal, if well implemented, can help contain absenteeism?

What is needed is the stepping up of school inspection and the application of teacher performance appraisal.

Otherwise, why should teachers account for unattended classes during appraisal? And why should learners fill forms that capture teachers’ class attendance and classroom efficiency? What the Ministry of Education and TSC ought to do is boost the inspection department by increased funding and personnel.

TSC should go slow on this obsession to roll out policies without adequate consultations. It should not try to intimidate teachers because when it comes to the classroom and curriculum implementation, the teacher is king.

The commission should dispel the fear currently gripping teachers, who view TSC secretary Nancy Macharia as a high-handed officer.

Let teachers seek permission to be away from work in writing. Let them attend co–curricular events and festivals.