TSC Launches Mentorship Program for Teachers

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22,239 teachers are set to under the Induction, Mentorship and Coaching (TIMEC) programme that the Teachers Service Commission has rolled out in a bid to reduce indiscipline among teachers and improve on their classroom instructions, retention and results in learning.

Among the teachers are 19,585 who have been newly employed in secondary schools in the last three years between 2018 and 2021 and a total of 3,654 Heads of Institutions who have been recently appointed to their positions between the same duration. This comprises 11 principals from Teacher Training Colleges, 3,089 Headteachers of Primary schools and 554 Principals from Secondary schools.

The program began among Field Officers who shall be instrumental in the implementation of the TIMEC which is set to be launched from March to June this year to the aforementioned targeted group of teachers.

TSC has trained 10 Regional Officers and a total of 295 Field Officers regarding the implementation of the program.

According to TSC, the program is intended to address preventive and corrective approaches in the management of teacher professional conduct and performance.

“Induction, mentorship and coaching program will increase effectiveness, promote job satisfaction, commitment, improved classroom instruction, teacher retention and improved results in learning,” said David Mukui, who is TSC’s Field Services Directorate during the launch of the program.

Following the launch, identification and selection of mentors, coaches and champions in schools are already ongoing. Besides, the Commission in its circular dated the 31st of January 2022 has directed all County and Sub-County Directors to submit the data to their respective areas by the 28th of February 2022.

The training will take place in three financial years starting from 2021/22 financial years to 2023/2024 with 13,000 teachers being trained each year.

On her part, TSC Chief Executive Officer Dr Nancy Macharia revealed that a lot of time is wasted during teacher-learner contact time which leads to poor outcomes in learning.

12,000 school heads and Board of Management (BOMs) who will be trained on management of discipline cases and will capture around 4,000 teachers in every financial year up to the year 2024 with 2021/22 being the baseline year.

Previously, TSC used a system that is decentralized with cases of indiscipline being heard at the County and Regional Offices, meaning some cases took too long before reaching a resolution. However, now TSC has decided to mentor and coach teachers who are joining the profession using their experienced counterparts.

A majority of the indiscipline cases involve insubordination whereby teachers do not carry out their assigned duties, missing lessons, alcoholism, engaging in drug abuse, being absent and even rape.