Sossion leads legislators in call to abolish TSC
Knut secretary-general Wilson Sossion (right) with Knut national chairman Wycliffe Omucheyi addressing journalists on teachers salaries the union’s offices in Nairobi on August 5, 2019. Mr Sossion has called for the abolition of TSC. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- In the proposed amendments, Mr Sossion suggested that the commission be left only with the role of employment of teachers.
- Mr Ochanda said the problems facing Kenya’s education sector were due to the government’s failure to institutionalise the management of the sector.
Five MPs want the Teacher's Service Commission (TSC) abolished and in its place an independent body established to oversee and regulate policy matters relating to teachers’ welfare.
Led by Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, the legislators said they will sponsor a motion to amend the TSC Act in September.
ROGUE COMMISSION
"We must deal with this rogue commission. It has failed to champion the rights and welfare of teachers for which it was created. It is only preoccupied with dividing the teachers and perfecting discriminatory tendencies," said Mr Sossion in Siaya County on Saturday.
In the proposed amendments, Mr Sossion suggested that the commission be left only with the role of employment of teachers.
The MPs who included Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga), Gideon Ochanda (Bondo) and Wilberforce Mudenyo (Funyula) criticised the teachers’ employer over its move to deduct teachers' salaries and withholding of union dues.
They spoke at a fundraiser in aid of Adeya Adongo Secondary School.
Mr Atandi, who asked teachers not to pull out of Knut, appealed to the Ministry of Education to embrace dialogue for a successful implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
PLAY POLITICS
"Listen to teachers and do not play politics of divide and rule that is being witnessed in the teachers’ unions" he said.
Mr Moroto warned President Uhuru Kenyatta that he risks leaving a legacy of a President under whose watch education sector went to the dogs.
"Past presidents gave education the priority it deserves. You will leave a bad legacy over education issues," he said.
He called on teachers to remain solidly behind Knut and Mr Sossion.
Mr Ochanda said the problems facing Kenya’s education sector were due to the government’s failure to institutionalise the management of the sector.
"You can't have a ministry that is run on circulars which are issued on weekly basis and management pegged on the will of individuals,” Mr Ochanda said.
UNION DUES
They claimed that TSC was working to kill Knut by starving the union of dues.
The MPs vowed to resist any attempt to weaken the giant teachers’ union that has been at the forefront in pushing for the welfare of teachers in the country.
Mr Sossion said he will rally his colleagues in Parliament to support the teachers. He asked the ministry of education to stop frustrating the union and its officials.
Mr Sossion said union attacks is a common phenomenon the world over and the only way to defeat such schemes is to remain united.
He said teachers have been molested by past regimes and resorting to withhold union dues is a violation of human rights.
REGULATIONS
He said TSC was going against the law by implementing regulations before they are ratified by Parliament.
"Code of regulations must be the only guiding principle on promotions of teachers,” he said.
He cautioned TSC against discriminating against Knut members.
The Knut official said the court had directed that teachers be paid and it is wrong for the commission to disregard the ruling.
The leaders said that those who are training the teachers on CBC are not conversant with the new system and the implementers should listen to the other key education stakeholders.
