Teachers reject annual appraisal by TSC

Kenya National Union of Teachers Secretary-General Wilson Sossion addresses delegates during the Kenya Primary School Heads Association at Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa on December 6, 2017. Teachers have now rejected their annual appraisal. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The TSC uses the appraisal to assign, train, promote and deploy teachers to various administrative positions.
  • TSC had developed the necessary framework for the implementation of Teacher Professional Development programmes.

Teachers have now rejected their annual appraisal started last year by their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

The decision was reached during the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) 60th annual delegates conference in Mombasa last week.

“The delegates urged the TSC to remove the infamous TPAD/appraisals contracting as it has subjected teachers to untold and unprofessional discharge of duty,” the union’s resolutions since forwarded to the government said.

The TSC uses the appraisal to assign, train, promote and deploy teachers to various administrative positions.

ASSESSMENT

Head teachers are subjected to performance contracting and teachers rated through performance appraisal and development.

Heads of institutions are assessed on resource management, service delivery and maintenance of teaching standards, integrity and national values.

Teachers, on the other hand, are appraised on professional knowledge and its application, time management, innovation and creativity in teaching.

Other yardsticks include learner protection and safety, teacher discipline and conduct, promotion of co-curricular activities, professional development and collaboration with parents and other stakeholders.

COURSES
TSC chief executive officer Nancy Macharia this month told the 13th Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) delegates’ conference in the coastal city that the commission had developed the necessary framework for the implementation of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) programmes.

“The programme will be rolled out in 2018 and will be offered in various models by TSC-accredited service providers,” Dr Macharia said.

“The courses will be accessed at school level with training centres during school holidays and online.”

She said the service providers for TPD would include, among others, Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (Cemastea), the British Council and teacher training institutions.

RESOLUTIONS
The training, Ms Macharia said, will constitute the required TPD teacher contact hours, which will be adequate for recertification.

Another approach will focus on teacher professional development at the school level.

“In this approach, subject teachers in an institution will be required to be meeting for some time on specific days in a week to discuss and find solutions to issues that affect teaching and learning in their subjects,” she said.

Other resolutions at the Knut meeting include a demand for TSC to hire all trained and qualified teachers to save and protect the teaching profession.

“The conference totally rejects a reintroduction of contract/internship teachers as this was handled and resolved during the 2011 strike,” the resolution read.

FREE EDUCATION
Knut also approved the rollout of free day secondary education and the government’s efforts towards achieving 100 per cent primary-secondary transition rate.

The delegates, however, warned: “Teachers must be adequately prepared before any rollout is undertaken.”

The delegates strongly opposed the policy on delocalisation as envisaged by the TSC.

“The delegates warmly appreciated the efforts of the Knec (Kenya National Examinations Council) to eradicate cheating in exams and, further, their timely release and payment of examinations,” another resolution reads.

“However, the Knec is urged to improve its terms and conditions of service to the contracted teachers.”