‘Don’t gag teachers’: KNUT challenges TSC social media rules
Mitei cited the Code of Conduct and Ethics for Teachers, 2015, alongside the Teachers Service Commission Act, the Code of Regulations for Teachers, the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act and the Data Protection Act.
A fresh row has erupted between the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and teachers’ unions over a directive warning educators against cyberbullying, hate speech and unprofessional conduct on social media, with the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) demanding clearer guidelines to prevent the circular from becoming a gag order.
TSC, in a circular dated August 13, 2026, cautioned teachers against abusing social media platforms and warned that those found engaging in cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation or sharing offensive content would face disciplinary action.
The commission said it had noted an increase in cases involving teachers’ misconduct online, stressing that professional standards expected of teachers in classrooms also apply to their conduct on digital platforms.
However, KNUT has objected to what it describes as broad wording that could be interpreted as restricting teachers from maintaining legitimate social media accounts or expressing lawful opinions.
KNUT Secretary-General Collins Oyuu said the commission should distinguish between responsible use of social media and actual misconduct.
“The wording used by TSC on social media should be specific to the misuse of various platforms by teachers in this country,” Oyuu said while speaking in Bomet during an event to distribute assistive mobility devices to teachers and learners living with disabilities.
Oyuu nevertheless urged teachers to exercise restraint online, warning that posts and comments can leave a permanent digital footprint.
“Let us use social media in the right way. Let us not use it to abuse others, including fellow teachers on various social platforms,” he said.
He added that teachers were professionals and opinion shapers who should set a good example for learners.
But KNUT First Vice National Chairperson Malel Langat warned that the directive risked crossing the line into unconstitutional censorship.
“The TSC should not appear to gag teachers through the circular that was issued on August 13 in what has the potential to roll back the gains made through the Constitution,” Langat said.
He argued that social media had increasingly become part of education, with teachers using platforms to share learning materials, professional experiences and information. Teachers also use Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, X and WhatsApp for personal and professional engagement.
TSC Acting Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei defended the directive, saying professional standards do not stop at the school gate.
“The commission formally reminds all teachers that the standards of professional conduct and ethics required of members of the teaching profession are equally applicable in the digital and social media sphere,” she said.
Mitei cited the Code of Conduct and Ethics for Teachers, 2015, alongside the Teachers Service Commission Act, the Code of Regulations for Teachers, the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act and the Data Protection Act.
TSC also maintained that Article 33 of the Constitution protects freedom of expression but does not cover hate speech, incitement to violence or ethnic profiling.
The dispute has nevertheless unsettled some teachers who fear the directive could be used to suppress legitimate advocacy over salaries, working conditions and other grievances.
