Striking teachers to lose their jobs

The fate of the striking teachers now hangs in the balance after their employer advertised positions for 70,000 relief tutors.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) says it is recruiting 50,000 primary school teachers and 20,000 secondary school teachers on a three-month contract.

TSC announced the hiring in a paid-up advertisement to appear in the local dailies on Thursday.

The application deadline is Monday, October 5, and the teachers should apply through their county directors of education.

The contract teachers are expected to restore learning that has been paralysed for a month now due to the teachers’ strike.

“The teachers will be hired on a three-month contract and will thereafter be considered on a priority basis for employment on permanent terms when vacancies arise,” reads the letter by TSC’s chief executive officer, Nancy Macharia.
VACANCIES

According to TSC, the 70, 000 teachers will supplement around 45,000 others who are already on duty. Currently, there are 288,000 teachers employed by TSC.

School administrators — heads of institutions, their deputies and the senior teachers have been in schools as they usually do not take part in the strike.

The employer is looking for teachers who are below 45 years old, should be Kenyans and have original professional and academic certificates.

The applicants must also be registered as a teacher as per Section 23 of the Teachers Service Commission Act.

“All applicants, both Primary and Secondary should submit their applications together with certified copies of certificates, transcripts, testimonials and ID Card to the TSC County Directors of their respective home counties not later than 5th October, 2015,” says Ms Macharia.

Those applying for vacancies in primary schools are required to be holders of a P1 Certificate whereas applicants for vacancies in secondary schools must be holders of a minimum of a diploma in education certificate.

The TSC has advertised the vacancies according to the counties.

Successful applicants are asked not fill employment forms in more than one station as this will lead to disqualification.