The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) in Kisumu County has raised concerns over the ongoing teacher recruitment process, accusing politicians of clandestine interference.
Speaking at a press briefing in Kisumu, KUPPET Kisumu County Executive Secretary Zablon Awange criticized the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for allegedly relinquishing its mandate to politicians especially Members of Parliament, resulting in skewed employment practices and imbalanced staffing in schools.
“It is an open secret that politicians have infiltrated TSC’s functions of recruitment, promotions, and deployments. Teachers with letters from MPs are posted to preferred schools with attractive allowances like hardship and enhanced house allowances, leaving other institutions understaffed,” Awange said.
Arbitrary transfers
He further accused TSC of addressing staffing imbalances through arbitrary transfers under the guise of staff balancing, which he described as punitive.
According to Awange, such actions have led to widespread frustration among teachers, particularly those with legitimate medical concerns whose appeals for transfers are often ignored.
“Five teachers in Nyakach and four in Kisumu Central have threatened to resign due to these commercialised transfers. Last year alone, over 50 teachers in Kisumu resigned because of arbitrary and punitive transfers,” Awange revealed.
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KUPPET is now demanding that the TSC reclaim full control over teacher recruitment and follow constitutional guidelines, including public advertisements for vacancies.
Awange warned that continued political interference undermines the integrity of the process and risks turning recruitment into a tool for favouritism.
“Politicians will only recruit their friends and relatives, which is a direct violation of the constitution,” he stated.
The union further called for TSC to adopt a more compassionate approach in handling teacher grievances or risk losing its constitutional mandate, suggesting that the commission be returned to the Ministry of Education as a department if it fails to uphold its responsibilities.
Naivasha MP Jane Kihara has similarly claimed that the ongoing recruitment of 20,000 teachers by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is skewed to favour pro-government individuals and regions.
According to Kihara, the exercise should be suspended and investigations instituted over alleged bias and skewed process.
As a result of the exercise, Kihara noted that hundreds of teachers who had met the set academic standards would miss out.
Kihara noted that the problem started last year when MPs who were perceived as pro-government were issued employment forms to share with teachers in their constituencies.
By Fredrick Odiero
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