Unregistered Teachers in Kenya: The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced a nationwide crackdown on teachers who are not registered with the Commission but are involved in teaching in both public and private schools.

The exercise targets several teachers, who have been kicked out of the service for misconduct including having sexual relations with students, and who appear to be back in class through the back door.

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To fully undertake the exercise, the Commission has sought the support of the Ministry of Education in order to flash out unregistered teachers after it emerged that some schools have hired Form Four leavers as teachers.

Most of informal schools especially those in slums rely on the service of untrained teachers. TSC regulations provide that no person shall engage in the teaching service unless such person is registered as a teacher.

It has emerged that most of the sacked teachers are young and can only earn a living by working in private schools which do not demand to see their registration numbers.

TSC chief executive officer Nancy Macharia says during the April training of teachers on the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC), it emerged that some individuals engaged in teaching, especially in private schools were not registered teachers.

In a letter dated May 2 to Education Principal Secretary Bellio Kipsang, Ms Macharia says in some cases, Form Four leavers have been assigned to teach.

“In order to ensure provision of quality education in all schools, there is need for a collaborative approach in the enforcement of registration requirement for all teachers. In this regard, the Commission requests the Ministry of Education to encourage its field officers to be conducting joint programmes with TSC county and sub-county directors in order to ensure registration requirements are fully enforced,” reads the letter also dated May 2.

The Commission has now directed its officers to ensure that all teachers engaged to teach in both public and private schools are registered in line with the requirements of the TSC Act.

“No teacher who has been deregistered, for whatever reason, should be assigned to teach or conduct training in co-curricular activities in schools,” reads the letter to TSC county directors.

Ms Macharia has also directed principals and head teachers to ensure that the names of all teachers, their TSC numbers and teaching subjects at all times are prominently displayed in their offices and staffrooms.

“Compliance with registration requirements for private schools should be continuously monitored, through physical checks at least twice every term. TSC county directors should submit to regional directors, details of any schools that may not have complied for necessary action,” adds the CEO.

This report on unregistered teachers in Kenya was first published in the Daily Nation.