TSC vice-chair Cleophas Tirop retires as 2 set to exit

The then TSC vice-chairman Cleophas Tirop addresses secondary school at the 10th African Confederation of Principals Conference at Pride Inn hotel in Mombasa on August 8, 2018. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Tirop was appointed in April 2013 while Dr Gichura and Ms Kontoma joined the Commission in August that year.
  • The latter two will leave after finishing their six year-non-renewable term, setting the stage for appointment of new commissioners.
  • The commission is currently chaired by Dr Lydia Nzomo, with the other commissioners being Kinoti Imanyara, Mbarak Twahir, Albert Ekirapa, Beatrice Adu and Tache Gollo.
  • Focus will also be shifting to recruitment of a substantive chief executive officer at the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).

Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Vice-chairman Cleophas Tirop has retired while two other commissioners - Dr Salome Gichura and Saada Abdi Kontoma - are set to leave in August.

Mr Tirop was appointed in April 2013 while Dr Gichura and Ms Kontoma joined the Commission in August that year.

The latter two will leave after finishing their six year-non-renewable term, setting the stage for appointment of new commissioners.

President Uhuru Kenyatta will now be expected to constitute a selection panel to recruit new commissioners.

A person shall be qualified for appointment as a member if such a person holds a degree from a university recognised in Kenya, and has knowledge and experience of at least 10 years in matters relating to education, governance, management and law.

QUORUM

With their exit, the TSC will be left with six commissioners who were appointed in March 2015 after a year of drama that saw several names rejected in the National Assembly.

The exercise also resulted in several cases as those who missed out sought the intervention of courts.

The commission is currently chaired by Dr Lydia Nzomo, with the other commissioners being Kinoti Imanyara, Mbarak Twahir, Albert Ekirapa, Beatrice Adu and Tache Gollo.

For the commissioners to conduct business, they require a quorum of three out of a maximum of nine.

They are in charge of appointing and appraising school heads or confirming those working in acting capacity.

They also approve budgets and formulate policies among other duties.

The commission has a budget of Sh251 billion and employs 317,000 teachers for public schools across the country.

KNEC CHIEF

Focus will also be shifting to recruitment of a substantive chief executive officer at the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec).

Dr Mercy Karogo has been serving in acting capacity since 2016 as the job was advertised in the local dailies in 2018 but nobody was recruited.

Both the National Assembly’s Education Committee and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) have asked the Knec board to confirm Dr Karogo as CEO or hire another person.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said the continued delay in the appointment of a substantive CEO will compromise the credibility of national tests.

So far, President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Dr John Onsati to chair the Knec board. He is expected to speed up recruitment of the chief executive.