Intern teachers struggle to apply for TSC jobs as exercise comes to an end

A section of Junior Secondary School intern teachers protesting along the streets of Bomet. [File, Standard]

Thousands of trained teachers across the country are facing frustration and disappointment as they struggle to apply for the 46,000 teaching positions recently advertised by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

With the application portal riddled with a web of technical failures and the one-week deadline that ended yesterday (Monday), many teachers feel locked out of an opportunity they had long waited for.

The recruitment process was announced to fill 39,550 vacancies in Junior Secondary Schools (JSS), 6,000 in primary, and 450 in secondary schools.

However, for many applicants, accessing the system has been a nightmare. The biggest hurdle lies in the system’s failure to send the One-Time Password (OTP) necessary for completing applications.

Maryanne Nyambura, a teacher from Nyandarua, expressed her frustration with the portal's repeated errors.

“TSC, please sort out the error as soon as possible. We have not slept for the last two days struggling to apply,” she said.

Her experience is echoed by many others, all facing the same problem. Danson Onyango from Kisumu said the portal is either inaccessible or fails to send verification codes.

“The verification code takes centuries to arrive via SMS. Some people have been waiting since yesterday, and the October 7 deadline will not favour many applicants,” he lamented.

Similarly, David Nzioka from Makueni feels let down by the process. He believes that diversionary tactics are being used, as the portal continuously fails to send the required authentication code.

“The system is frustrating us. How can we proceed if the portal won’t send the code? This issue needs urgent attention,” charged Nzioka.

Mutai James from Kericho went a step further, suspecting deliberate foul play, reflecting the growing sense of mistrust among teachers regarding the recruitment process.

“Just say the highest bidder has got their way. This is a deliberate move to lock out thousands of applicants,” he claimed.

The TSC has acknowledged these challenges while addressing the issue through social media.

“We regret to inform you that we are currently experiencing technical challenges affecting the teacher recruitment portal. We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused and kindly request your patience as we work diligently to restore the portal,” the commission tweeted.

For teachers like Hillary Kaptoet from Mt Elgon, the problems with the system run deeper than just receiving the OTP.

He pointed out lack of functionality to correct errors made during the application process. “The system doesn’t give room to edit any mistakes. Does this mean we’ve been locked out, and the interns will take all the positions? Kindly activate the remove/edit button. Many have made errors,” he pleaded.

The frustration reached a boiling point as hundreds of teachers flocked the commissions’ headquarters in Nairobi, seeking answers and solutions.

“Teachers have traveled from all over the country over minor issues like the OTP. I’m at the headquarters, and it’s a total mess. The deadline should be extended,” said John Mwenda from Tharaka Nithi.

Junior Secondary School Treasurer Patience Nkatha said the portal’s failure has left many intern teachers, who had been counting on this opportunity to secure permanent positions, in a state of uncertainty.

“As of today (Monday), the deadline day, most of the applicants haven’t received the authorisation code that would allow them to complete their application,” she said.

As frustrations grew, calls for an extension of the application deadline became louder, with Mohammed Noor from Mandera urging the TSC to extend the deadline to allow fair access for all applicants.

“Why can’t the TSC extend the application deadline? We’re still experiencing challenges,” he said.

Marakwet East MP Timothy Kipchumba, a member of the Parliamentary Education Committee, faulted the commission over its handling of the recruitment process.

He reiterated that the positions promised automatic job openings to teachers who were already serving as intern.

“The Sh18 billion we approved was for the conversion of all the 46,000 intern teachers. Anything short of that is null and void,” Kipchumba stated.

He also criticised the TSC for failing to meet the agreed-upon number of positions for JSS teachers to be absorbed into permanent employment.

“We have an issue with the advertisement. The TSC hasn’t provided clarity on the numbers. Any recruitment that doesn’t include JSS teachers is a nullity,” Kipchumba added.