The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has agreed to reinstate a teacher who was transferred from a school in Kakamega following an appeal from a parent.
Speaking after a meeting with sponsors and the management committee of St. Gabriel Isongo Secondary School yesterday, TSC chief executive Nancy Macharia said tutors cannot work effectively in an unfriendly community. and defended this action.
“The TSC's decision to transfer the teacher was therefore aimed at protecting the teacher's life from the insecurity posed by the community,” Dr Macharia said yesterday, while also recognizing the rights of the child.
“While we recognize every child's right to education, which is enshrined in our Constitution and must be respected by all of us, we also believe that the lives of teachers are sacred. We could not foresee a situation in which teachers could work in communities that were unfriendly to them and threatening to them.”
Last Wednesday, TSC removed 17 teachers from Mumias East Educational Institution after parents stormed the school and expelled the principal and director of studies over poor performance in last year's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education. I was transferred.
Leaders from the sponsoring Catholic diocese of Kakamega camped at the TSC regional office on Monday before heading to its headquarters in Nairobi.
Bumini diocese Father Fredrick Lugonzo said on the same day that the committee had agreed to meet with school management on ways to restore normalcy.
“Efforts to seek a meeting with the teacher's employer have finally resulted in an agreement to meet with the employer. As I speak to you, there is a meeting scheduled for (Tuesday) at 2 p.m.” He said.
“We are hopeful for a positive outcome with teachers returning to school by the end of this week.”
Lugonzo said only 13 teachers employed by the management board remained, severely impacting learning.
He said the development had an impact on ongoing Form 1 admissions as some parents refused to enroll their students until the return of TSC teachers was guaranteed.
On Friday, Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machog said the decision was insensitive and not in the best interests of children. Mr Machog said schools should reopen within a week and teachers should be brought back.
“Therefore, I call on the Ministry of Education field officials and management committees to act swiftly and resolve the misunderstandings in some schools where parents have invaded the schools with the aim of resuming normal operations. “We are directing them to cooperate with the public. “Any activities that cannot be attended for more than a week should be canceled as soon as possible,'' he said.
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Some local leaders also appealed to the commission to reinstate teachers at the troubled schools.
While calling for the arrest of the parents who made the accusations against the teachers, he also asked the committee to consider the welfare of the children.
