- TSC chairperson Lydia Nzomo's six-year term ended on November 18 last year.
- Nzomo was the first person to chair the TSC after it was made a constitutional commission. She took an oath of office in 2014.
Image: COURTESY
A selection panel has been inaugurated to recruit nominees for the chairperson and one member of the Teachers’ Service Commission, whose six-year term ended in November 2020.
The nine-member panel appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta through Gazette Notice No. 1712 of February 24, 2021, took the oath of office on Thursday in a ceremony presided over by the vice chairperson of the Public Service Commission Charity Kisotu at Commission House, Nairobi.
The selection panel is chaired by Thomas Koyier.
Members include Dr. Mary Gaturu from the Ministry of Education, Charles Mutinda from Attorney General’s office and Njoki Kahiga from Ministry for Public Service.
Others are Margaret Lilan Geno from Federation of Kenya Employers, Richard Kibagendi and Dr Hellen Hazel Misenda representing the registered teachers trade unions, Eva Nyoike from the Association of Private Schools and Prof Stanley Waudo, a prominent educationist.
Kisotu urged the members of the selection panel to be diligent in their work, noting that they were carefully selected and represent diverse interests in the education sector.
“I have no doubt that you are fully aware of how critical the education sector is in this country, and this is rightly demonstrated by the stakeholder representation that constitutes this selection panel,” she said.
She noted that the appointment of the selection panel has come at a critical time when the government is rolling out curriculum reforms within the education sector including the Competency Based Curriculum, hence the need to conclude the exercise as soon as possible.
TSC chairperson Lydia Nzomo's six-year term ended on November 18 last year.
Nzomo was the first person to chair the TSC after it was made a constitutional commission. She took an oath of office in 2014.
The commission is also missing another member of the board of governance, Cleophas Tirop, who vacated office in March 2019, while the remaining six will be due to exit in March this year.
In total, the commission has nine members. With one representing each region of the defunct provinces.
Kennedy Kihara, who represented the Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua during the inauguration, underscored the centrality of public service in the stability of the country and urged the Selection Panel to strictly follow the law while undertaking the exercise so as to present the best suited nominees to the appointing authority.
“The government is undergoing a lot of transformation and we must ensure and facilitate public participation in everything we do,” he observed.
Public Service PS Mary Kimonye, who represented the Public Service CS Prof. Margaret Kobia, urged the Selection Panel to uphold integrity of the selection process and adhere strictly to the stipulated timelines.
“The integrity of the process is what I want to emphasise. The work you are doing… ought to be taken with humility, commitment, honesty and objectivity so that the outcome will be acceptable to all,” said Kimonye.
Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia said the commission is looking forward to having the best chairperson and member from the selection process.
Koiyer assured Kenyans that the team will deliver on their mandate as per the requirements of the law and in the stipulated timelines.
-Edited by Sarah Kanyara