The Teachers Service Commission, TSC, on Wednesday September 25, 2019 held its first ever open teachers’ day in selected venues countrywide. During the event schools and teachers who posted good results in academics and Co-curricular activities were feted. The Theme was this year’s day was; TSC INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION FOR QUALITY TEACHING
Here is what the Commission Chair Dr Lydia Nzomo had to say during this all important day;
- PREAMBLE
| wish to take this opportunity to extend to you all a very warm
welcome to the third annual TSC Open Day. This is one of the most
important days in the Commission’s calendar, and I am pleased that
you were all able to join us.
It is always a great pleasure to engage and share our experiences with
our stakeholders and even members of the public. Indeed, the
Commission has received a lot of feedback on its services through the
open day. I wish to thank you for being part of the Commission’s
efforts to get a better understanding of its services and operations by
stakeholders and the public.
Today is also a day that we appreciate one of our key stakeholders in
the learning process, the teachers. Teachers are a key resource in the
education sector as they play the crucial role of transforming and
molding learners into responsible adults who fit well in the society.
We will be recognizing teachers who have excelled in various academic
and co-curricular activities over the last year. I wish to take this early
opportunity to appreciate the hard work of the headteachers, principals,
and our teachers whose commitment to duty has gone a long way in
shaping the future of the learners.
I am pleased to also welcome partners and stakeholders and wish to
thank you most sincerely for the support and engagement with the
Commission that has gone a long way in enabling the Commission
improve delivery of its services. The Commission appreciates working
with you and assures you that we value your contributions.
I hope that you will all have an opportunity today to spend some time
at the exhibitions. The Commission has on display a wide range of
services and comprehensive information on its operations. I encourage
those who have not got the opportunity to visit the exhibitions to do so
in the afternoon as the exhibitions will be open the whole day.
II. INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN SERVICE DELIVERY
Ladies and gentlemen,
Our theme for this year’s open day is “TSC Integrating Technology and
Innovation for Quality Teaching”. The choice of this theme
demonstrates the commitment of the TSC to embrace and integrate
technology and innovation in its operations.
In today’s world, technology and innovation are changing the way we
work on a scale never experienced before. It is driving radical changes
that require us to critically rethink how we can ensure a sustainable
future for the next generation.
Advancement in technology and innovation is not futuristic; it is
already here with us. Technology more than ever before, is now
challenging the traditional definition of a workplace. The email service
has revolutionized the way we communicate, replacing the
conventional letters. Technologies such as biometric attendance
registers have been adopted by many institutions, including some of
our schools. The biometric technology, which also sends messages to
parents once their children arrive in school ensures students report to
school on time and thereby minimizing chances of them engaging in
mischief.
III. REENGINEERING SERVICE DELIVERY
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Commission recognizes the use of technology as a strategic
resource. It is in view of this that the Commission has reengineered the
delivery of service and has adopted technology based innovations to
make accessibility of information and services easy, fast and reliable.
The ultimate goal is to provide real time services that a teacher or
client can access in the comfort of their homes or places of duty. This
is envisaged to enhance teachers contact hours with learners.
Services that have been reengineered include;
Introduction of Electronic files
Effective November this year the Commission will roll out use of
electronic teachers files. Currently the Commission is scanning all
documents in teachers’ files to have them in electronic form through
an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS).
This is anticipated to improve access to files by more than one user at
the same time. This has been a big challenge for the Commission as
access to the manual files has been limited to only one user at a time.
Cases of missing files will now be a thing of the past. Electronic
Secretariat Files are already in use.
Internet Protocol telephony (IP)
Further to enhance communication between the Head office and the
Counties, 11 County offices have been linked with similar telephone
facility as that at the headquarters through Internet Protocol Telephony
(IP). IP telephony offers phone technology using Internet connections.
This will make it easier to make telephone calls to County offices and
vice versa. Moreover new telephone lines or extensions will be added
on the network as funds are available. The Vision of the Commission is
to have all counties connected for seamless provision of services.
IV. TECHNOLOGY BASED SERVICES
The Commission also offers the following services online.
- Online tax deductions card (P)
Teachers and TSC Secretariat Staff can now access their P9 forms
online alongside their payslips, through the TSC on-line service portal.
Thus they do not have to wait for June to make their returns. They can
now make their tax returns as early as January of every year. - TSC Website (www.tsc.go.ke):
The Commission has a vibrant website where key activities of the
Commission are posted as they happen. The website is also a key
resource centre where teachers and the public easily access
information on the services offered by the Commission. From the
Website;
• Teachers can download various documents such as The Code of
Regulations for Teachers, circulars and Gazette notices.
• Teachers can access and apply for advertised posts,
• Retired teachers whose pension claims have been processed and
forwarded to the Director of Pensions are notified through the
website.
• Papers presented during the First Teachers Conference that was
recently concluded can be accessed through the website, - Teachers online (www.teachersonline.go.ke)
i). Teacher registration
The Commission is mandated to register trained and qualified
teachers before they engage in any teaching services in the country.
Through the Commission’s online system, applicants upload the requirements for registration. The Commission processes registration
within 30 days and a registration certificate is issued. The status of the
application is also provided in the online system.
ii). T-Pay (payslip.tsc.go.ke)
Teachers can now view their latest pay information by accessing their
pay slips online. The system also provides a function for teachers to
send their latest pay slip to 30 parties such as banks, Saccos, amongst
others, to facilitate acquisition of a loan.
iii).
Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD)
Teachers Performance Appraisal is now done online. The Commission
is in the process of reviewing the online performance appraisal so as
to make it more user friendly
iv). Wealth declaration:
Teachers and TSC secretariat staff are required to declare Income,
Assets and Liabilities in accordance to the public Officer Ethics Act, - This can now be done through the TSC Website under the
teachersonline link.
v). Teacher Management Information System (TMIS)
Effective teacher management requires use of accurate and up to date
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data. In response to this the Commission has developed an online data
collection and analysis system- Teacher Management Information
System (TMIS). Data is collected at the source which includes the
school, TSC county offices, and the headquarters and is uploaded on
the system. TMIS ensures there is a centralized source of data hence
eases access of data. - Use of email to enhance communication.
The Commission’s email services continue to be a key channel of
communication that teachers and other clients use to make enquiries.
This provides clients with a channel that enables them to reach the
Commission at a click of a button. Clients can reach the Commission
wherever they are, without having to travel to any of the Commission’s
offices. - Commission’s social media platforms
The Commission’s social media platform, Facebook page (TSC KENYA)
and twitter handle (@TSC_KE) are interactive platforms where teachers
and other clients interact easily with the Commission. The
Commission uses the platforms to post and share events as they
happen and also bring to the attention of our clients’ urgent
information meant for their attention. You are all encouraged to use
the platforms to reach the Commission on any issue that you may
have. - Bulk SMS
The bulk SMS platform has enabled the Commission deliver time-
sensitive notifications, and other important information directly to the
mobile phones of teachers and Secretariat Staff. TSC is now able to
send out invitations to teachers for interviews, discipline hearings and
cordial messages such as Christmas, Idd Ul Fitr, Easter, New Year’s. It
has also been integrated with other systems to give instant feedback
such a successful completion of a job application, registration
amongst others. The Bulk SMS presents a more cost effective way of
communicating to employees as opposed telephone calls or sending
letters. - Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS)
This was developed to enable the Commission manage its human
resource. Secretariat Staff now apply for leave, undertake performance
appraisal and access medical scheme administration services such as
updating their profiles, adding beneficiaries and give feedback about services in hospitals. They also can initiate card replacement and
check referral hospitals in the various towns and regions.
The use of technology-based service channels, have improved service
delivery greatly by reducing the human interface and providing timely
response, accessibility and efficiency. Teachers no longer need to
leave their stations to access services. They are able to access them
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even through their personal phones. I wish to assure you the
Commission is committed to automating its services to provide real
time services to the teachers and the public.
V. USE OF INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY IN DELIVERY OF
CURRICULUM
Ladies and gentlemen,
The use of innovations and technology is not limited to the
Commission only. I am aware many teachers have enhanced their
teaching through technology. We witnessed many other ICT
champions demonstrate very innovative ways of teaching during the
First Teachers conference held in June this year. The Global Teacher
Award winner Peter Tabichi integrates ICT into 80 per cent of his
lessons. In recognition of the efforts of such teachers who use
technology to enhance learning, the Commission initiated the ICT
Teacher of the Year (TOYA) award. The award is antipated to
encourage teachers to take advantage and keep abreast with the fast
changing technology.
I would like to encourage all teachers to embrace creative methods of
teaching that are in tandem with our rapidly changing, technologically-
driven world. As David Warlick, an American educator and Author aptly put it, “we need technology in every classroom and in every student
and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it
is the lens through which we experience much of our world”.
V EMERGING ISSUES
At this juncture, I wish to focus on some pertinent issues in the
education sector that are of mutual interest.
THE COMPETENCY BASED
1) TEACHERS TRAINING ON
CURRICULUM
Ladies and gentlemen,
The recently rolled out Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) lays
emphasis on development of learner’s competencies and the use of
digital technology. It focuses on equipping leaners with the ability to
apply knowledge, skills and values taught in schools to solve life’s
problems. This calls for new approaches to teaching and learning.
To ensure that teachers are adequately prepared to successfully steer
the CBC, the Commission has trained Institutional Administrators and
teachers of primary schools. The training has focused on Early Years
Education (EYE) up to Grade Four levels. So far, the Commission has
trained 181 Master Trainers who in turn trained 1,165 Curriculum
Support Officers and 1,320 CBC champions as Trainer of Trainers. In
total, the Commission has trained a total of 159,810 teachers during the year. (91,620 in April, and 68490 in August). A further 68490
teachers are scheduled to be trained in December bringing the total to
288,000 by the end of the year.
The Commission is set to progressively train all teachers in our public
schools. This will also be complimented with continuous teacher
professional development as training is a continuous process.
VI. PROTECTION OF THE LEARNERS
Ladies and gentlemen,
As stakeholders in the education sector, we all have a responsibility to
ensure our learners get quality education and attain their full potential.
The safety of learners is one of the greatest concern of the
Commission. Teachers have been given duty of care over the learners
to even beyond the school environment. The Code of Conduct and
Ethics for Teachers 2015 has tasked teachers to protect children from;
abuse, neglect, harmful cultural practices, all forms of violence,
discrimination, inhuman treatment, corporal punishment and exposure
to hazardous or exploitative labour.
It is with this in mind that I ask all of us as stakeholders in the
education sector to play our part in protecting our learners and
ensuring that the school continues to be a safe learning environment.
VII. TPAD IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORT
Ladies and gentlemen,
As I draw close to the end of my remarks, I wish to share with you a
report on a baseline assessment on the impact assessment of
Performance Contract for heads of Institutions and Teacher Performance
Appraisal and Development (TPAD) that was done in 2017. Since the roll
out of the TPAD in January 2016, the Commission has been monitoring
its progress.
From the baseline assessment, it is has emerged that: –
a) Teachers’ competencies in preparation and maintenance of
professional documents, learners’ assessment, identification of
weak or talented learners and development of Individualized
Education Programme (IEP) have been enhanced.
b) TPAD has also enhanced mastery of subject content, syllabus
coverage, teaching methods and lesson observation techniques.
c) Teachers’ competencies in preparation of teaching /learning aids
using locally available materials and using ICT to improve
knowledge content and curriculum delivery have improved.
d) TPAD is seen to have influenced learners’ innovation and
creativity by empowering learners to use ICT and develop their
own learning materials.
e) TPAD has effectively promoted parental involvement in the
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learning process and has created linkages and networking with
educational bodies.
It is evident that the three TPAD teaching standards assessed have
enhanced teacher competencies and improved learning outcomes.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I once again thank each one of you for the part that you
are playing in the lives of our learners. For those who will be receiving
awards, I take this opportunity to congratulate you for the good work
that you are doing. Emerging at the top is not easy. It requires a lot of
hard work and commitment which at times goes way beyond the
normal classroom time. I assure you your efforts are not in vain.
To all of you, I wish to assure you of the Commission’s commitment to
deliver consistent quality service to all our customers. With those few
remarks, I wish you well as you go back to your duty stations and may
God bless you abundantly.
Thank You
