The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Bomet Branch has faulted the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for plans to deduct teachers’ salaries to fund ICT training, vowing not to accept to finance the programme.
This was after the commission directed all teachers, TSC Secretariat Staff and Grade 8 pupils to register for basic digital skills training at a fee of Ksh2,500 per beneficiary.
In a circular No.05/2024 dated 26th March 2024 signed by the TSC CEO Dr Nancy Macharia titled “Mobilizing and Training of Citizens and Public Finances on Digital Skills,” all teachers, secretariat staff and grade 8 learners are expected to register for the programme.
Under this initiative, it is envisioned that over 20 million citizens will be equipped with basic digital skills to enhance their capacity to effectively access and utilize government e-services.
“To this end the government with the support of the stakeholders has developed an ICT curriculum of short courses focusing on Foundation, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Digital skills, including public sector digital skills,” the circular reads.
The letter says Phase One of the programme aims at training about 5 million learners using a consortium of ICT training organizations drawn from both the public and private sector, NGOs, and various accredited training organizations.
“The training will be self-sponsored at a fee of Ksh2,500 (two thousand five hundred shillings only) per person for basic skills. A certificate will be issued upon completion and assessment by the government,” points out the circular.
The TSC CEO directed all the Regional Directors, County Directors and Sub County Directors to ensure that the circular is disseminated to all teachers in their respective jurisdictions.
In a follow-up communication, the commission recently made it clear that it won’t fund the training but instead teachers would shoulder the training cost.
This has ruffled teachers who already carry heavy burdens of deductions, with the newly elected Bomet KNUT chairman Davis Mitei terming the plan unacceptable and a contravention of labour laws.
Speaking at a funeral in Kimori, Konoin Sub-county, Mitei said although the training is welcome, teachers will not allow deduction of their salaries.
“The training is crucial and as teachers we fully welcome it. However, we shall not allow teachers’ salaries to be deducted to cater for the training. If the government means well for the teachers, it should pay for the training,” he said.
According to him, TSC should set aside funds for the programme since tutors, like other Kenyans, are grappling with tough economic times.
However, there seems to be no voice representing the learners and parents who are also facing the huge burden of financing the training.
On a different matter, Mitei demanded that teachers be appointed as commissioners of TSC, noting that it is wrong for the commission to engage commissioners from other fields.
“All other commissions have commissioners drawn from the relevant fields. But when it comes to TSC, there is no commissioner with a teaching history. This is unacceptable and as KNUT, we demand that teachers be appointed to the commission, “he said.
By Benedict Ngetich and Kimutai Lang’at
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