National Assembly’s committee on Education says a decision by the Teachers Service Commission to suspend teachers protesting insecurity in the north is unjustified.
A Parliamentary committee has criticised the recent decision by the Teachers Service Commission to interdict teachers who had left their workstations in the North Eastern region over security concerns.
The National Assembly’s departmental committee on Education said that the decision by the TSC to suspend the teachers was unjustified.
The committee chairman, Julius Melly, said that the teachers were justified in leaving the region and calling for a transfer over the security concerns.
Melly argued that by interdicting the teachers, TSC had overreached some of its functions and overreacted on the matter.
Melly, who spoke during a meeting with some of the representatives of the interdicted teachers, also apologised to the tutors, adding that his committee had begun investigations into the matter.
TSC had, two weeks ago, interdicted teachers seeking transfers from North Eastern due to insecurity. The teachers were interdicted because they had absconded work despite the commission’s directive in September to return to their workstations.
“I apologise on behalf of this committee and Parliament for your harrowing experience. TSC should have acted and treated you better,” Melly said.
Interdicted teachers Peter Kamoet, Charles Achol and Nathaniel Cheruiyot present their grievances against the Teachers Service Commission on behalf of their colleagues before members of the National Assembly Committee on Education at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi.
Representatives of the teachers, Charles Achol and Peter Kamoet, revealed their struggles, and they had been forced to spend nights at police stations due to insecurity fueled by Al-Shabaab threats.
Achol emphasised their vulnerability as non-locals targeted by the Al-Shabaab militia, making it difficult for them to travel. The militia has attacked buses and other vehicles.
Despite raising concerns with their employer and requesting relocation for safety, their pleas were allegedly ignored, resulting in interdiction letters after they refused to return to the region due to safety concerns.
“As a committee, we will ensure justice and fairness are done. If you feel insecure as a teacher, you cannot teach well. The TSC ought to have listened to your genuine grievances before resorting to disciplinary action,” added Melly.
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