TSC was surprised to register more than 300,000 applicants for jobs following the advertisement for available posts. The available 11,574 posts look like a drop in the ocean with applicants almost the same number as those already employed in schools by TSC.
COVID-19 put the whole world to a standstill and crippled almost every economic activity. This has led to unemployment as companies and even schools have had to cut down on their staff. Private schools in Kenya had to close and are now under threat of dropping into extinction. This has forced teachers registered under TSC to apply for jobs with TSC leading to a worrying surge in the number of applicants.
Private schools had almost 300,000 teachers who had been registered under the Commission. The numbers indicate that it is this number that has applied for TSC jobs.
In the new TSC plan, interviews aimed at filling 6,574 teachers who have exited the service and 5,000 new vacancies will begin on Thursday.
Regions have received the names of teachers who were shortlisted.
“The numbers were overwhelming as many people applied. This is more than we expected and every applicant has to be given a chance and therefore go through the application,” said the head of corporate communications, Betty Wababu.
Ms. Wababu revealed that many teachers who had been employed by private schools applied for the advertised jobs. This is related to the massive job losses as private schools have suffered because of closure due to COVID-19. Private schools are going through worrying and disastrous shortages in cash flow due to the closure of schools in March to control the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Cancellation of interviews was ruled off by the TSC Head of Corporate Communications as she revealed that those are just fake news circulating on social media spreading unnecessary attention.
“That is not true as there is no delay,” she said. Ms. Wababu also added that the reporting date for teachers is still as was set, January 4, 2021.
Going by the schedule, merit lists were already sent to country directors on Wednesday. The country directors will then distribute them to sub-county directors who will then arrange interviews with principals from secondary schools.
A seven-day notice will be given to candidates who applied for the posts. Applicants for primary school vacancies will be vetted at the sub-county level. Interviews will be done by a team or panel consisting of the Chair of the Board of Management (BoM), the head of the institution, a subject specialist, and the TSC county director or a representative.
Teachers serving under TSC’s internship programme will have an advantage over other applicants during interviews. As per the provided guidelines, they will be awarded an extra 10 marks for sacrificing themselves for the sake of their profession.
The selection process and filling of serialized application for employment forms for successful candidates shall have been completed by all counties by October 14.
Click on these links below for TSC applications County merit lists: