Teachers Service Commission honours 31 exemplary teachers
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) yesterday feted 31 teachers across the country for their outstanding contributions to the profession.
TSC Secretary, Dr Nancy Macharia, said they recognised 31 most outstanding teachers, who have consistently demonstrated exemplary performance in teaching, management and effective delivery of the curriculum for quality education.
Also honoured included teachers who have beaten all odds and shone in their various aspects of career.
“I wish to state that the process of identifying the teachers to be rewarded has been done in strict conformity to TSC Performance Recognition, Reward and Sanction Policy Framework.
All the 31 teachers will be feted based on the rewards system outlined in this TSC policy – which stresses on meritocracy and detailed due diligence in recognising staff,” said Macharia, who made the remarks at Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
The 31 were feted during the celebrations of World Teacher’ Day celebrations held yesterday under the theme ‘Teachers at the heart of education recovery’.
However, she said many more teachers are doing a good job across the country, adding that the Commission will continue to mount friendly and well thought out programmes that would make teachers better.
“I wish to state that we are not in any way suggesting that the 31 teachers are the only remarkable teachers we have in the practice. In fact, this number is just the tip of the iceberg.
At the TSC, we will keep finding more ways to ensure all our teachers feel recognised and appreciated for their work,” assured Macharia.
Macharia said teachers have been at the centre of resuscitating academic programmes in the country after being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Defying Covid
“All of us agree that the audacity of teachers to defy the Covid-19 rage in October last year and return to school in support of the first phase of schools’ reopening was the game changer.
Had the teachers failed to support the government’s move, then our efforts to recover the lost academic time arising from the school closures occasioned by the Coronavirus will all have come to naught,” she said.
Macharia said the Commission will further recommend some more teachers for recognition at various levels in line with government policy.
Among the teachers feted were Peter Tabichi of Keriko Mixed Secondary School who won the Global Teacher of the Year in 2018, Eric Ademba of Asumbi Girls school won the African Union Continental Teacher of the Year in 2019 and Jane Kimiti of Othaya Girls secondary won the African Union Continental Teacher of the Year in 2020 (See list for others).
Teachers were also honoured for good performance in KCPE and KCSE exams and most improved, special school category and those who produced best students among others.
In Parliamenty, former Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary General Wilson Sossion led several other MPs in honouring teachers, even as they accused the government of not doing enough to empower them.
Legislative reforms
He urged the National Assembly to support all the legislative, policy and budgetary reforms towards strengthening the teaching profession.
The Nominated MP said World Teachers Day comes at a time when teachers are disoriented, demotivated, and feel abandoned, especially at a period when Covid-19 pandemic is exacerbating education inequalities.
“Education is the most productive asset most people will ever own. Teachers are key in achieving all the targets in the education agenda and need to be supported since they are at the heart of education recovery,” Sossion said in his statement at the House.
The MPs who spoke said teachers need to be empowered, adequately recruited and remunerated, motivated and supported with resources, which the Government should avail.
“We are because of teachers and we need to thank them for discharge of the noble duty they are doing.
We need to rethink the environment under which our teachers are working right from the point of recruitment to how we retire them.
MPs need to not only look at the law but also ensure the environment they are serving is right,” said the Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma.
