Teacher Management

►   Kenya education had been challenged by low transition from primary to secondary

►   Low transition caused by high cost of education

►   To curb low transition G.O.K committed itself to increase transition to 90% through session paper No.I of 2006.

►   A task force was formed to examine the cost of implementing FSE.  FSE implementation started in January 2008, G.O.K paying 10,265 per child per year.

►   Increase of transition rates at 70% per district will lead to higher demand for teachers.

►   All teachers in TSC payroll should be fully and optimally utilized as follows:

►   Teachers be allocated on basis of both enrolment and curriculum being offered in school instead of C.B.E only (ie CBE & E.B.E)

►   In high potential areas schools should be required to have a minimum of 40 pupils per class to quality for G.O.K funding.

►   Where there are two schools within proximity with low enrollment the schools should be encouraged to merge for optimum use of teachers.

►   Where schools have employed B.O.G teachers the saving from P.E should be used

The rationale of merging schools

►   Optimum use of teachers and resources.

►   Quality for G.O.K funding

►   Savings on the part of the parents especially in the costs of school infrastructure.

►   Reduce on cost of administration

ACTIVITY

Assume you are a principal of Kirima sec. school with an enrolment of 78 pupils.  How would you persuade your B.O.G to merge your school with the neighbouring Karongo Sec. School which has an enrolment of 62 pupils.

Teacher’s Discipline

It’s important for Principals to be acquainted with the code of regulation for teachers and the recently published TSC code of conduct and ethics.  These two documents govern the conduct of all teachers aqnd can be used to enforce;

•          Remedial teaching by teachers .

•         Patrons of clubs

•         Games activities etc

The Discipline Process

•         Despite mechanisms that we may put in place to ensure that teachers are not indisciplined, you find that some teachers’ behaviour lead to their being interdicted.

Who can Interdict?

The TSC Act Section 4 (b) and Legal Notice No.95 of 1971 empowers the Commission to delegate its function to it’s agents in matters relating to assignment, transfer, discipline and interdiction of teachers (Ref to regulation 4(1) and (2) of the code of Regulations for Teachers pages 4 and 5).  With respect to discipline, the functions are delegated as follows:-

►   DEO, MEO, DCE – a teacher in a primary school

►   Principals – Head teacher signs the notice of interdiction as secretary of the board.

What principals should prepare

►   Records of omission & commissions

►   Warning letters

►   Call B.O.G to discuss the teacher’s conduct.

►   Send deliberations and recommendations to T.S.C

Common Grounds for which a teacher can be interdicted

•         Chronic absenteeism (persistent absence from duty)

•         Desertion of duty (absence of 14 continuous days and above including weekends and public holidays).

•         Insubordination (failure to obey instructions from superiors.  This includes heads failing to obey the AEOs, DEOs, PDEs and Commission Secretary).

•         Negligence of Duty (neglecting assigned duty such as failure to teach, prepare lesson plans, schemes of work, supervision of examinations, allowing cheating in examinations, granting fake marks, excessive punishment).

•         Incitement.

•         Fighting

•         Use of abusive language

•         Infamous conduct.

•         Drunkenness

•         Public nuisance

•         Imprisonment – This is when one is convicted of criminal offence and is jailed.  If one is kept in police custody for more than 14 days and he/she is released later, he/she is then a deserted and should be interdicted.  If one is in police custody for less than 14 days and he/she is released on bail, he/she will not be paid for the period in police custody.

•         Fraudulent/receipt of TSC/KNEC/Public funds (such as payment of salary to those not on duty, deserters, deceased, failure to report desertion or submit correct staff returns).

•         Mismanagement/misappropriation of funds.

•         Immoral behaviour.

•         Flirtation.

•         Carnal knowledge.