By GEORGINA MICHAEL
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has urged the National Government to delegate financial autonomy to the commission.
This follows challenges faced by TSC in rolling out the Teacher File and Qualifications Digitalization Project over the past three years.
“To successfully manage a workforce of 80 000 in the country, the Teaching Service Commission must move towards financial autonomy. TSC has not had the appreciation of having direct government funding,” TSC chairman Maini Mike Ugaia said.
“While all the other organizations get direct funding from the government, we do not in the last 50 years. Hence, we are calling on the heads of the department agency, directors and managing directors, for the national agencies to recognize TSC as one of the government institution and give us a budget code so that we can have direct funding from the government.
“The lack of single line budget remains our greatest hurdle. We are calling on the government and the central agencies to prioritize the TSC’s transition to financial independence so we can manage teacher affairs autonomously and effectively,” Mr Ugaia said.
TSC Commissioner for Policy Charly Muke emphasized that the commission was not financially independent to operate within the Department of Education.
“The Teaching Service Commission has not got all the functions that it is supposed to have to function as a commission, rather most of its functions are being shared with the Department of Education.
“To successfully manage a workforce of 80,000 teachers across the country and address the significant challenges faced as an independent agency, the Teaching Service Commission is now calling on the Government for financial autonomy,” Mr Muke said.