In summary
President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed a Zetech University don to chair a nine-member panel whose main task will be to select eligible candidates to replace three TSC commissioners who have retired.
Dr. Nancy Macharia’s term ends next year. She is the current Chief Executive officer of the Teachers Service Commission in Kenya.
Dr. Macharia will however still be eligible for a second term-five years.
The Teachers Service Commission is due for changes following the replacement of three TSC commissioners.
The selection has officially started after His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed a selection panel which will be chaired by a Zetech University don Professor John Munene.
Professor John Munene is the current vice-chancellor of Zetech University in Kenya.
The other members of the selection panel include Hellen Ambasa, Francis Ng’ang’ a, Peter Ndoro, Stanley Waudo (vice-chancellor of Mount Kenya University), and Solicitor General Kennedy Ogeto.
NON-RENEWABLE TERM
All TSC commissioners are expected to serve for a non-renewable term of six years.
The commissioners exiting service are Cleophas Tirop, Saadia Abdi Kantoma and Salome Gichura. Their term ended this year. Mr Tirop’s term begun in April 2013, he retired early this year, while Kantoma and Gichura exited the service last month.
TSC CURRENT COMMISSIONERS
There are six TSC commissioners in service. They are Lydia Nzomo, Mbarak Twahir, Tache Gollo, Albert Ekirapa, Kinoti Imanyara and Beatrice Adu.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Section 8 (1) of the TSC act states that if a vacancy arises in the commission, it should be advertised through a formal gazette notice.
After this, a nine-member selection panel is constituted to map out eligible candidates for appointment.
The chair of the selection panel has to be appointed by the president.
IN PART
DR. NANCY MACHARIA’S BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Macharia is the current secretary/ Chief Executive officer of the Teachers Service Commission.
She was appointed after emerging the best in a competitive recruitment exercise and took over from Gabriel Lengoiboni who retired on 30th June 2015.
Ms Macharia was selected as the ninth and first female TSC chief executive officer.
EDUCATION BACKGROUND
She has a Master of Education (Policy $ Management) degree from Bristol University in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Macharia also possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Education Arts- English and Literature from Kenyatta University.
She has got vast experience having worked in the education field for at least 28 years.
BRIEF HISTORY
Born in the year 1963, Dr Macharia has undergone rigorous training in both local and international universities in the following areas: public procurement, proactive management, policy formulation, corporate governance among others.
She began her career as an assistant teacher and was later appointed as the director of teacher management.
After graduation, she was posted to work as a classroom teacher at Kahuhia Girls, Murang’ a county. After five years, she rose to the rank of a deputy principal at Kianderi Girls Secondary within the same county.
She later stopped teaching and became a staffing officer. Dr. Macharia rose through the ranks until she reached the most coveted position – TSC CEO.
CONTRIBUTIONS AND AWARDS
President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2014 awarded her the Order of the Grand Warrior for her immeasurable contribution in and outside her workplace.
She was part of the team that speared the national TSC data integrated system which was funded by the World Bank courtesy of her negotiations.
She also initiated the teacher management information system to curb the ghost worker syndrome.
Now that her five- year contract expires next year, will she be the next in line for retirement?
