Anxiety grips teachers as mass transfers start

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has given its regional directors until May 9 to submit a detailed report of mass transfers next term intended to balance staff across the country.

Commission chief executive Nancy Macharia said the exercise is meant to ensure all schools have a balanced teacher to learner ratio before the start of the new academic calendar. Schools are scheduled to open for the 2022 first term on April 25.

“The process of staffing of schools is guided by staffing norms whose key objective is to achieve the optimal utilisation of teachers and in so doing, reduce disparities in teacher distribution,” said Macharia.

The regional directors are expected to work with county directors to ensure the rationalisation exercise achieves equitable redistribution.

Macharia said that despite the commission’s efforts to address teacher deficit, the challenge has been compounded by irregular distribution, thus creating an imbalance.

“The teacher staffing imbalance continues to limit the initiative towards equitable distribution of teaching resources.

If unchecked, this will adversely impact learning outcomes in learning institutions,” she said.

According to TSC, the shortage of teachers in primary and post primary institutions stands at 114,581.

Among the factors to be considered when transferring the teachers is their age, health status, disabilities, marital status and time served in the current school.

Teachers aged 56 years and above will be exempted from the transfer, as well as those with proven cases of terminal illness.

Others are teachers with disabilities who have the necessary certification.

“The committee will evaluate each case on its own merit, taking into consideration the supporting medical documents, availability and accessibility to the appropriate medical facilities, among other factors in the proposed station,” she said.

A teacher’s health status will also be a key consideration with those suffering from terminal illnesses spared.

“The committee will, however, evaluate each case on its own merit taking into consideration the supporting medical documents, the availability and accessibility to the appropriate medical facilities, among other factors, in the proposed station,” said Macharia.

Teachers with disabilities and with necessary certification will also not be affected by the transfers.

“When transferring teachers, priority will be given to schools within the sub-county and within the targeted shortage before transferring out of the sub-county,” she said.

On the family, the employer said transfer of couples employed by TSC, and have declared their marital status, should be to the same neighbourhood where possible.

The length of stay in a station since first appointment will also be a key consideration. The teacher must have served in a station for a period not less than three years and five years for North Eastern and other areas, respectively, since first appointment unless otherwise authorised by the Commission.

Priority will also be given to teachers who have applied for transfer. In cases where teachers meet the criteria for transfer, the Commission will consider “first in, first out” factor, gender balance where applicable and teacher’s security.

“Transfer of teachers will be carried out during the school holidays to ensure stability and smooth running of the school programme except for emergencies,” Macharia directed.