TSC bosses summoned over interns non-payment
Hillary Mageka @hillarymageka
Top officials of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) have been summoned to appear before senators next week to explain the rationale behind a three-month non-payment of stipends to some 10,000 teachers under the internship programme.
The lawmakers also want TSC to shed light on why they have employed teachers with university degrees as interns, earning less than some non-teaching staff at the schools where they serve.
Dr Lydia Nzomo and Dr Nancy Macharia are the commission chairperson and secretary/chief executive, respectively.
The two executives will appear before the Senate Committee on Education, chaired by Bomet Senator Christopher Langat, to clarify the nature of the contract entered between them and the tutors on internship.
In a statement sought by Lamu Senator Anwar Loitiptip on Tuesday, TSC has been required to state when the commission plans to pay the intern teachers.
“What plans are in place to ensure they are paid their stipend on a monthly basis without fail going forward and the measures that the national government is putting in place to ensure the interns are gainfully employed once the internship comes to an end?”posed Loitiptip.
Nominated Senator Dr Alice Milgo urged the TSC to establish a clear framework on issues of payment and recruitment of the interns.
Under the TSC guidelines, interns posted to secondary school are entitled to Sh15,000, which decreases to about Sh10,000 after statutory deductions.
“After they have received their training for a period of one or two years, what consideration will they be given when the TSC recruitment is done?” posed Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot.
