How TSC Will Freeze Employment for P1 Teachers as from the Year 2023
They say that change is as good as rest. However, with key reforms within the Kenyan Education Sector in the offing, many jobs are at stake especially teaching jobs for primary school teachers commonly referred to as P1 Tutors.
The Long Wait
It has become the norm for primary school teachers to wait for over 10 years before finally landing a TSC job.
What is worse is the fact that the Commission reciprocates their patience with a mere pittance in form of Salaries.
These P1 teachers majorly constitute classroom teachers without administrative roles whose contribution in school management was deliberately ignored by the 2017-2021 teachers’ Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA.
To add insult upon injury, there are speculations that despite the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, SRC reviewing their roles and accepting that indeed an injustice was committed to classroom teachers, there are no prospects in the near future for better say perks for these teachers.
When a parent takes his or her child to school, he or she raises optimism that one day, the child will greatly help in future after getting job.
At the same time, it is up to the child to find a sustainable means to fend for his or her future family when he or she matures up.
Today, there are serious concerns as to why the form four graduates do not want to go for the primary teacher education course.
The new Diploma in Primary Teacher Education, DPTE failed to gather enough quorum for the pioneer teacher trainees who are expected to spearhead curriculum reforms.
However, the lowering of the university grade to C+ has been part of the factors.
It is unfortunate that currently, the P1 teachers stay home for over 10 years before being employed by TSC.
This has also been a factor to shunning the TTCs.
Astudent with C plain would prefer going for even Diploma in Nursing than in primary teacher education.
After all, there is huge salary disparity.
A few days ago,reports emerged that TSC will not employ the P1 teachers this year.It is only secondary school teachers who will greatly benefit.
However,this may be just the beginning of the long journey for these primary school teachers to wait for the jobs.
Iforsee a situation where these teachers will stay home longer than expected from 2023.Why do I say so?
The CBC classes are here with implementation expected to be in grade five by 26th July when first term will start.In 2023,the double transition to form one will see the current grade four learners join secondary schools.Now,the unfortunate thing is that as soon as current class five learners will finish KCPE,two classes will cease to exist-that is class seven and eight.
Once the two top classes cease to exist in primary schools,the meaning is that the teacher to learner ratio will greatly improve.TSC will concentrate in employing more teachers in secondary schools than in primary schools.Infact the primary schools will need lesser and lesser number of teachers leading to longer stay for these unemployed P1 teachers at home before getting jobs.The question is,if TSC does not want to employ them now,what if primary schools will have only six classes-grade 1-6?