TSC Tightens Penalties for Teachers
TSC Tightens Penalties for Teachers
Teachers who work for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) risk serious consequences if they don’t provide their financial information by the deadline. Among other possible disciplinary procedures, the consequences include salary halt, show cause and warning letters.
The TSC, through a circular dated November 7, 2023, instructed all teachers and secretariat staff to declare their income, assets, and liabilities by December 31, 2023. Noteworthy points from the circular include:
1. All teachers employed by the Commission, including those on leave, interdiction, suspension, or authorized absence, are required to declare their income, assets, and liabilities.
2. Intern teachers are exempt from this declaration.
3. Failure to submit accurate information may lead to a fine of Ksh. 1,000,000 or imprisonment for up to one year under the Public Officer Ethics Act. Additionally, teachers may face administrative or disciplinary action according to TSC procedures.
4. The declaration procedure, which is essential for user credibility, password setting, and accessing or resetting individual passwords, is only available to those who have activated official @mwalimu.tsc.go.ke email addresses.
5. The teacher’s email will automatically receive a copy of the declaration that was submitted for their records. 6. After verifying the accuracy of the data entered, teachers must click the SUBMIT option and wait to get an email confirming their submission. Hard copies of the declaration forms are not accepted by the Commission. 7. The system will reject incomplete declaration forms, thus it’s critical that all areas are filled out correctly.
More than 100,000 instructors were found by the TSC to have not disclosed their wealth by December 10. Concerned that just thirty percent of teachers had disclosed their wealth by November 30, the Commission took action to encourage more of them to comply. TSC Director of Administrative Functions Ibrahim Mumin instructed County Directors to launch vigorous campaigns utilizing a variety of communication channels to urge secretariat employees and teachers to submit their work on time in a memo dated December 1, 2023. Manual declarations are no longer accepted as the wealth declaration process has been digitalized. Teachers and other public officers are required under Sections 26 and 27 of the Public Officer Ethics Act to report their income, assets, and liabilities every two years.
There is still time for teachers who haven’t disclosed their riches to do so before the December 31 deadline. Basic and personal information, information about income, assets, and obligations, information about family members, and any other pertinent information are all required for a wealth declaration. Teachers’ TSC emails will receive submission receipts, which they can also download upon finishing the procedure.
