By Ouma Wanzala
The Teachers Service Commission has launched a new online system for appraisal of more than 290,000 teachers across the country.
The system contains the teacher performance appraisal and development tools.
TSC acting director for teacher management Mary Rotich has directed all county education directors to ensure that they upload appraisal data for teachers on a termly basis in the system.
In a memo seen by the Nation dated November 3 addressed to TSC county directors, Mrs Rotich has directed them to ensure that all sub-county directors activate and create online appraisals for the heads of institutions in their sub-counties.
In a collective bargaining agreement that was signed by TSC and teachers’ unions leaders last month, teachers will be evaluated annually as per the code of regulations.
The move is aimed at dealing with absent teachers in schools who have been blamed for poor performance in national examinations.
DO NOT ATTEND CLASS
A recent report by the Education Commission, a United Nations’ backed agency, which consists of former and current heads of state, business and education leaders, revealed that nearly a half of primary teachers in Kenya do not attend class.
The report showed that absenteeism costs Kenya Sh27 billion a year in wasted pay, with 47 per cent of teachers staying away from classes while 16 per cent of them choose not to report to school at all.
The appraisal of teachers which started this year is fundamental shift in policy in public employment and is aimed at enhancing and maintaining high performance standards in teaching service.
TSC, Kenya National Union of Teachers and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers also agreed to ensure continuous professional development and annual appraisal evaluation system.
There will be career development for those who perform well.
“All heads of institution activate and create appraisal of teachers and their institutions and the data is uploaded at the institutional level,” said Mrs Rotich.