MPs grill nominees set to fill TSC five top jobs

Salesa Abudo, one of the nominees before the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Research. [David Njaaga, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta's five nominees to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) have now vowed to address ceaseless ills that dog the Education sector if appointed to office.

Nicodemus Ojuma, Christine Kahindi, Sharon Kisire, Annceta Wafukho and Salesa Abudo yesterday appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Education and Research to establish their suitability for office.

The nominees presented their plans on how they will deal with challenges facing the education system such as the de-localization process for teachers, recruitment, underfunding, stagnation and understaffing when appointed to the office. 

On de-localisation, Christine Kahindi- a career teacher with experience spanning 36 years – said that if appointed into office, she would advocate for the posting of teaching couples in the same area or in close proximity to avoid breaking up of the family unit.

“We need to adopt a more humane way of carrying out the de-localization process because in the past the process has been seen as punitive and a punishment to teachers who end up with broken families,” she said.

Her sentiments were reiterated by Ojuma who also told the committee that he intends to work hand in hand with the existing trade unions as well as other stakeholders to ensure existing challenges are addressed adequately.

The committee sought to know how Ojuma intends to deal with the issue of stagnation after he said this was one of the issues he would address when appointed. 

He said he would hasten pending promotions albeit in consideration of vacancies available as well as funds allocated by the Treasury for the same.

Abudo, on his part, said there was need for a review for the entry grade of teachers to Teachers Training Colleges. 

Currently, for one to be enrolled in the teacher colleges, he/ she must have scored an overall mean grade of C plain as well as in four other subjects in their Kenya certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.

The team is expected to table a report to Parliament in 21 days.