TSC issues new directives amid learners' safety concerns

TSC CEO Nancy Macharia before the Senate Committee on Education at the Bunge Towers, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued a stern warning to school heads who are yet to comply with the guidelines regarding the safety of learners.

In a circular released on Friday, September 13, the teachers' employer acknowledged that some of the administrators have "demonstrated laxity" in implementing the safety regulations, vowing to take disciplinary action against them.

"It has come to the attention of the Commission that a few Heads of Institution have not only failed to implement the provisions of the Safety Standards Manual for Schools...but also demonstrated laxity in enforcing compliance with the administrative circulars issued by Government on the subject matter," TSC noted.

Key among the directives by TSC requires that all school heads, their deputies, and senior managers in charge of boarding programmes be present in the school at all times, to ensure learners' safety.

All institution heads are also required to jointly work with the Ministries of Education and Interior to uphold safety standards in schools.

The school heads have also been directed to "enhance supervision of learners to ensure all cases of learner indiscipline and unrest are promptly detected and forestalled."

Failure to comply with TSC directives will result in disciplinary action, the Commission warned.

The directives follow a recent wave of school fires after 21 pupils were killed in a fire at Hillside Endarasha Academy in Kieni, Nyeri County.