TSC Postpones Teacher Promotion Interviews
TSC Postpones Teacher Promotion Interviews Amidst El Nino Deluge. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has thrown a wrench in the planned nationwide teacher promotion interviews scheduled for next week, citing the relentless El Nino rains that are wreaking havoc nationwide. Interviews, which were originally scheduled to take place from 4 to 15 December 2023 for primary school teachers in job groups C1 to C4, are now indefinitely due to adverse weather conditions.
the decision to suspend the promotion interviews comes in the wake of increased El Nino-induced rains that have affected 36 of Kenya’s 47 districts. The inclement weather led to tragic consequences, with the National El Niño Management Committee reporting 120 deaths, mostly in Tana River, Garissa, Wajir and Mandera districts. The gravity of the situation prompted the Department of Internal Security and National Administration to issue high alert warnings for Isiolo, Kwale, Homabay, Makueni, Tharaka Nithi, Lamu, Taita Taveta, Meru and Kisumu.
Dr. Speaking to the media, Raymond Omollo, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Internal Security and National Administration revealed the grim statistics. “Unfortunately, 120 people have died since October, while 89,098 households have been displaced and accommodated in 112 camps set up in the affected districts,” announced Dr. Omollo.
The unpredictable and intense El Niño rains have destroyed roads and made some regions inaccessible. Many teachers have reportedly not received official communication from their respective TSC branches regarding the suspension of promotions.
The executive interviews aimed to fill 36,505 vacancies as advertised in September. The process was to begin with C1 teachers competing for 10,819 Senior Teacher II (C2) posts in mainstream schools and 700 posts in special schools. The extensive list of interview requirements included original national identity cards, academic and professional certificates, letters of appointment to the current grade and function, analyzed subject results for the past three years, performance appraisal reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022 and any other relevant supporting evidence performance.
Around 150,000 primary and secondary school teachers were shortlisted and given interview letters to apply for vacancies. Secondary teachers were due to be interviewed from 3 to 16 January 2024, with C2 teachers seeking 3,040 Senior Teacher I (C3) posts and C3 teachers applying for 1,930 Deputy Head II (C4) posts in mainstream primary schools.
In addition, deputy headteachers in C4 were set to compete for 1,049 headteacher posts in C5 for mainstream primary schools and 30 posts for special schools. This unique interview process saw a record number of teachers shortlisted for TSC promotion. It signaled the first instance of such talks to support school administrators at the sub-county level.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of El Niño, the TSC has yet to announce a date for the resumption of teacher promotion interviews. The uncertainty surrounding the weather conditions and extensive damage has left teachers and school authorities in limbo and impatiently waiting for further directives from the Commission. The unprecedented challenges caused by the weather underscore the need for flexibility and adaptability in the implementation of basic administrative processes in the education sector.
