The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has cautioned the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) against allowing political interference in teacher recruitment, warning that the malpractice is sidelining deserving graduates while worsening the teacher shortage in schools.
Speaking in Kajiado, KNUT National Deputy Chairperson Malel Lang’at decried the infiltration of politics into what should be a transparent process. He alleged that politicians have been collecting employment letters directly from TSC offices and later distributing or even “auctioning” them at public rallies. According to Lang’at, such actions deny qualified teachers opportunities and compromise professionalism.
“As a union, we are saying that teachers should be given priority and a chance to be employed without any bias that has been in place due to politics,” Lang’at stated. He urged new TSC CEO Evaleen Mitei to take a firm stance against the malpractice and restore fairness in recruitment and promotion.
Echoing his sentiments, Elly Korinko, the KNUT Kajiado Branch Secretary, emphasized the need to protect hardship allowances and affirmative action policies for teachers in remote regions. He warned that tampering with these provisions would demoralize educators who already endure tough working conditions in marginalized counties.
Reports of political interference in teacher recruitment are not new, with allegations persisting across the country that politicians use appointment and promotion letters to reward loyal supporters. KNUT insists that this undermines both the dignity of the teaching profession and the integrity of the education system.
Meanwhile, TSC is grappling with scrutiny over financial mismanagement. Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s report for the financial year ending June 2024 revealed that the commission overpaid teachers by Ksh433.9 million due to inefficiencies in manual reporting and payroll systems. Only Ksh222.3 million has been recovered, leaving a balance of Ksh211.6 million unresolved.
Legislators have since raised questions over accountability at the commission, calling for urgent reforms. KNUT maintains that addressing political meddling and systemic inefficiencies is crucial if the TSC is to fulfill its mandate of delivering quality education through a motivated and fairly treated teaching workforce.
