The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is facing fresh questions over its recent recruitment of Assistant County Directors for Teacher Management, after some teachers claimed the exercise lacked transparency and fairness.
According to a whistleblower, TSC invited more than 2,000 teachers for interviews towards the end of May to compete for 132 positions across the country. However, concerns have now emerged over how the successful candidates were allegedly picked.
This allegation has not been independently verified.
The complainant alleges that instead of selecting candidates purely on merit, the positions were allegedly influenced by commissioners, with some vacancies reportedly going to individuals linked to specific commissioners or communities.
One example cited by the whistleblower concerns a commissioner from Marsabit. The complainant claims that teachers from the commissioner's own community who attended the interviews were the ones who secured the available positions in that area, raising questions about whether the recruitment process was fair and competitive.
The whistleblower also questions why TSC has not publicly released the names of successful candidates, saying the commission has done so in previous recruitment exercises. According to the complainant, the absence of a published list has fueled speculation among teachers who attended the interviews but have received no clear communication on the outcome.
Teachers who participated in the exercise say they spent time and money preparing for and attending the interviews, expecting a transparent process based on qualifications, experience and performance.
The concerns come at a time when many teachers have repeatedly called on TSC to strengthen accountability in promotions and appointments. Many argue that leadership positions within the commission should inspire confidence by being filled through an open and verifiable process.
If the allegations are true, they would raise serious questions about fairness, equal opportunity and adherence to the constitutional principles governing public appointments.
The whistleblower is calling on the Teachers Service Commission, the Public Service Commission, the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, and Parliament's Education Committee to review the recruitment process and clarify how the 132 successful candidates were selected.
Below is the complaint received.
Hello Nyakundi. Kindly hide my identity.
Towards the end of May, TSC invited teachers for interviews for the position of Assistant County Director Teacher Management.
More than 2,000 teachers attended the interviews, yet only 132 positions were available. It appears the positions were shared among commissioners, who allocated them to their close associates and people from their own communities.
In one case, a commissioner from Marsabit saw only teachers from his community who attended the interviews secure the positions.
TSC has also not published the list of successful candidates as it has done in previous recruitment exercises. Kindly highlight this matter.