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Recruitment of new teachers in northeastern commences


The Teachers’ Service Commission (TSC) has said the response from candidates wishing to work as teachers in the northeastern region is good.

TSC had given those interested until Monday to submit their applications. The commission hopes to recruit new teachers to replace the more than 1,089 teachers who have declined to go back to the area over insecurity.

The teachers have also cited harassment and assault from parents, subordinate staff and students in the region as the reason for refusing to go back.

TSC chief executive officer Gabriel Lengoiboni told Nairobi News the interviews would begin  immediately given the urgency of the matter.

“We will be closing the application exercise on Monday so that we can start the interviews in order to enable learning resume,” said Mr Lengoiboni.

The commission wants to recruit 637 primary teachers and 452 secondary school teachers.

RELIGIOUS DIMENSION

Of the teachers to be recruited for primary schools, 46 will go to Garissa, 399 to Mandera, and Wajir County will get 192. Secondary schools in Garissa will get 32 teachers, Wajir 162 and Mandera 259.

However, the Catholic Church has said that the issues raised by the teachers seem to have a religious dimension and cannot be wished away.

“Leaders of whatever religion should respect the beliefs of others and encourage dialogue so that all are aware of the principles by which others live,” said the church’s Commission for Education and Religious Education chairman Maurice Muhatia in a statement.

The teachers have been camping at the TSC headquarters since January insisting they are not prepared to return and want to be transferred.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary-general Wilson Sossion supported the teachers’ demands.

Now the Catholic Church wants an independent professional assessment to be carried out to establish the validity and extent of the allegations by teachers.