Schools in Kenya are no longer willing to host TSC programmes because of ongoing delays in payments. These financial glitches are causing school operations to grind to a halt, forcing administrators to rethink their participation in TSC events.
Financial Burden on Schools Hosting TSC Events
Since the beginning of the year, school heads have been complaining about the financial burden of hosting TSC training sessions. Many institutions cannot cover the upfront costs, fearing long delays in reimbursement.
This was evident during the recent CEMASTEA Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers training. Many principals refused to host the event, unsure whether TSC would pay back their expenses. It was only after CEMASTEA officials gave them an assurance on the reimbursement that they agreed to host the event.
Schools Using Operational Funds to Cover Costs
A principal from the Central region ranted:
“Hosting this programme is expensive. I used funds meant for subordinate staff salaries, expecting to be refunded by the end of December holidays. Now I’m being bullied by my board members who think I mismanaged school funds.”
In some cases, schools have even taken loans to pay staff salaries, showing the extent of the financial strain caused by delayed payments.
KNEC Similar Issues Raise Concerns
KNEC has similar challenges where their contracted officials only got paid after Members of Parliament intervened. This pattern of delayed payments is raising questions on TSC’s financial planning and commitment to timely payments.
School heads and education stakeholders are now asking whether TSC budgets for these events and why institutions are waiting for up to six months for reimbursement.
Unpaid Teachers Want Payment Before Next Training
With another round of teacher retooling training coming up in April, many teachers who have not received payment for previous training are asking questions. Frustrated teachers are now approaching field officers to ask about their unpaid allowances.
School Heads Head to KESSHA and KEPSHA
As frustration grows, principals and head teachers are approaching KESSHA and KEPSHA to escalate their concerns to TSC.”I can’t say no to my employer’s programme but I can’t offer substandard services when I’m broke.”
Better Planning and Timely Release of Funds
To avoid more disruptions, school administrators are asking the TSC to plan better and pay on time. Without prompt payments, more schools may opt out of hosting teacher training sessions and ultimately education in Kenya will suffer.
If TSC doesn’t address this financial issue, schools will continue to shy away from hosting their programmes and it will be a big blow to both teachers and students.
