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"speaker_name": "Mr. Njuguna",
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"speaker": {
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"legal_name": "Peter Njuguna Gitau",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the TSC Bill. Let me start by thanking the new Minister at the Ministry for the very visible reforms that he has started to inject into the stagnated Ministry. The Minister has brought some vibrancy and energy into the Ministry. In addition, I would like to recognize the good leadership that has been provided by the current Chief Executive Officer of the TSC and even the former Chairman of the Commission. Giving the TSC a mandate to operate independently is very important. This will make the Commission perform its functions without any interference. We note that the TSC headquarters will be stationed in Nairobi. It is important, as the TSC continues to execute its mandate to engage in the computerization of its services. You will realize that currently, the TSC manually handles its services. It is also prudent that the TSC has decided to establish offices in the counties. The TSC has also sent the TSC Education Directors. These officers must be given offices and vehicles so that they can perform their functions well. I recognize that the TSC was the first Government Department to conduct credible interviews in terms of getting the 47 county officers. Concerning the discipline in the teaching profession, this is an area that the Bill has given a lot of thought because time and again, the teachers in this country have performed well. Other times, a small number of teachers has neglected its duties. We have seen teachers who are drunk and this is an issue that the TSC must address. We have seen immoral behaviour by teachers where pupils have been raped by teachers and defilement taking place in our schools. Proximity should not be allowed in our schools. Even some teachers have been smoking. This must be addressed by the new Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Corporal punishment has also been prohibited and teachers must be notified of this new development. Concerning the actual discipline of teachers as stipulated in Clause 34, suspending a teacher for 18 months, in my view, is too long a period. By keeping the teacher out of the classroom for 18 months, you will destabilize learning in our schools. I, therefore, urge the Minister to reduce this period to one year. Concerning quality and standards in our schools, we would like the new TSC to ensure that teachers work out the lesson plans, schemes of work and marking schemes. It also needs to address the issue of punctuality in class. We cannot talk of quality education if these issues are not keenly addressed. The stakeholders; that is, the sponsors, parents, and the community must work in harmony. If they do so, the recent demonstrations that we saw in the country will not recur. All the stakeholders must ensure that we attain excellence in the education sector. Teachers are human beings and they must, therefore, be accorded respect and dignity, so that they can continue performing their functions. Concerning false registration as stipulated in Clause 44, a teacher who is considered to have made false registration is supposed to be handed a one year sentence. This, in my view, is a very light sentence. We need to consider a more deterrent action. For example, a two-year sentence would be appropriate and even a fine of, say, Kshs200,000. This would deter others from engaging in this kind of problem. With regard to motivation of teachers, they need to be promoted. We have seen able and dynamic teachers being promoted. We should also consider demoting teachers who misbehave, misappropriate public finances and so on. Motivation must accompany ability and credible leadership provided by the teachers. Concerning transfer of teachers, when a teacher has misbehaved or engaged in a professional misconduct, he or she must be disciplined in their school. That problem must not be transferred to the neighbouring school. Fair punitive action should be taken against the teacher instead of destabilizing a neighbouring school. We have seen teachers being promoted, but we wonder why they were promoted. The new TSC should use merit only as the criterion for promotion of teachers. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, in order to improve the quality of teaching workshops and seminars must be encouraged. In order to address the shortage of teachers, the Treasury should give more funds to the Ministry of Education, so that all counties in the country have a fair share of teachers. By so doing, equity will be realized. With those few remarks, I fully support the Bill."
}