Confusion is rife as to when exactly the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Secretary/CEO, Dr. Nancy Njeri Macharia would be leaving office following two sets of rules in the Public Service.
The Commission extended her term in office for another five years in June 2020 meaning that she is supposed to vacate office in June 2025, but a circular released by the Public Service Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa in February this year puts a new spin into the fate of the fiery TSC boss.
In February 2023, the government warned its relevant authorities against extending the service of public officers who have already attained the retirement age, with the CS reminding the Public Service Commission (PSC) that the mandatory retirement age for all civil servants is 60 years and 65 for people living with disabilities.
Consequently, Jumwa suspended all requests for extension of service presented to her table and also revoked the existing cases in a move she stated, would open way for proper succession management within Public Service.
The mandatory retirement age was reviewed by the government from 55 years to 60 years on April 1, 2009 while in November 2020 the PSC turned down requests from a number of civil servants who had requested for extension of service from 60 to 65 years.
With the new Government directive, the question is; will Dr. Macharia vacate office on the basis of the mandatory retirement age of 60 years or will she complete her term which was extended to June 2025?
Dr. Macharia will attain her retirement age of 60 this year, considering that she was born in 1963. Due to the lack of clarity on this matter, speculations are currently gathering steam within the teaching fraternity and TSC headquarters.
Dr. Macharia rose to the helm of TSC after taking over from her then immediate boss Gabriel Lengoiboni who retired in June 30, 2015 after holding the position for a good 11 years. Under her predecessor, Macharia had been serving as the Head of Teacher Management, a powerful docket that calls the shots within the teaching service.
Upon completion of her first term in 2015, she was swiftly awarded another mandate of five years despite opposition from stakeholders and educationists who were uncomfortable with what they considered her unpopular policy decisions.
Some of her controversial policies include the delocalization of teachers which almost broke teachers families but later repealed by Parliament last year, Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) for teachers introduced in 2018 which replaced the Scheme of service on teachers’ promotion.
The CPG later led to introduction of the Teachers Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) which is an online appraisal of teachers that broke the relationship between the Commission and the then Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion.
She was at one point blamed for being a force behind the wars between KNUT and Kenya Union of Post primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) between 2018 and 2020 when the then KNUT and TSC disagreed on various policies especially the implementation of CPG on promotion of teachers, rolling-out of the current Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) and the implementation of the 2016-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Nancy was also at the center of weakening of once powerful unions, KNUT.
It is the TSC boss who issued KNUT with a termination notice of the recognition agreement with the teachers Union.
In the letter, TSC boss Nancy Macharia had notified the National Labour Board that KNUT had plummeted below the number of members as noted in their 51 years agreement.
“The Kenya National Union of Teachers does not have the simple majority of unionise employees under the employment of the Teachers Service Commission as at November 4, 2019,” reads part the letter as quoted by local media.
This is happened just days after de-registering the then KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion from the teaching fraternity. The termination of Sossion was gazetted by the embattled Nancy Macharia.
This drew sharp criticism from many.
Supremo
Nancy’s authoritarianism was also exhibited after the weakening of KNUT and emergence of National Teachers Pressure Group (TPG) an outfit that has become a target of TSC’s merciless anti-union tactics.
TPG led by their chairperson Martha Omollo have become victims of a TSC punitive teacher transfer scheme aimed at TSC critics and teachers’ unions. Mrs Omollo was transferred from a Nairobi school to a Trans Nzoia County school. Mrs Omollo was transferred when she became too vocal against the TSC management. This was Nancy’s way of silencing her and other members.
When they challenged the teacher’s medical scheme terming it frustrating, they were hit with transfer letters.
“TSC under Nancy Macharia has demonstrated its vile commitment to the destruction of teachers’ union through unfair labour practices and outright evil tactics that now include the transfer of teachers ostensibly to far-flung, hardship destinations.The situation at the TSC must be called out for what it truly is; a reign of terror.” Citizen TV’s Linus Kaikai at the time addressing the problem during a broadcast.
Insiders say Macharia has been enjoying a ‘well-greased’ relationship with the insurance firm to let go the contract that has also currently been advertised for renewal.
Under Nancy Macharia, TSC have previously been portrayed unfavourably by critics. High-handedness, impunity, condescension, egotism, unresponsiveness, harshness, and oppression are among the attributes exhibited in the TSC’s management.
She is the 9th Commission Secretary and CEO after Jesse Muhoro (1967 to 1974), James Kamunge (1974 to 1977), Duncan Mwangi (1978 to 1980), Joseph Lijembe (1980 to 1982), Mr Jackson Kang’ali (1982 to 1998), Benjamin Sogomo (1998 to 2003), James Ongwae (2003 to 2004) and Lengoiboni (2004-2015).
