Kuppet warns government against interfering with TSC

By Eric Lungai

KAKAMEGA, KENYA: The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education of Teachers (Kuppet) has warned the executive arm of the government to stop interfering with the independence of the Teachers’ Service Commission.

Speaking to The Standard the national Chairperson Mr Omboko Milemba and the Secretary General Mr Akello Misori, questioned the recent happenings in the TSC where names of those commissioners who didn’t qualify in the interviews were handed to the parliamentary committee for vetting.

“People who qualified after thorough interviews should be given the job as the constitution requires. Education is very important in the Kenyan context right now, and cannot be played with at whatever costs,” Mr Misori said.

He said education should not be politicised as it will lead to production of substandard material, which cannot be relied on.

“The president should only guide where necessary by consulting with the other arms of the government and allow the independence of the commissions to prevail as the constitution demands,” said Milemba. “We cannot say that the commissions are independent if they cannot make independent decisions.”

TSC will get closer to six senior positions filled as the House Committee on Education started vetting on Friday last week.

Dr Lydia Nzomo topped the list of nominees for the position of chairperson but a nominee who was rejected by parliament (Mrs Kiragu wa Magochi) was again re-interviewed and nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta as the chair of TSC.

He also forwarded the names of Albert Ekirapa, Jacinta Kapiyo, William Makubo, James Nkoroi and Mohammed Mwinyi as members of the commission.

The senior positions were advertised afresh after commissioners left the teachers’ employer by June 14, leaving only one commissioner.

The House committee will approve or reject the names within 21 days as prescribed by the TSC Act.