A Teacher Sues TSC
A Teacher Sues TSC
Former Teacher Files Lawsuit Against TSC, Claiming Over Ksh18 Million in Overtime .Ephraim Mwangi Gachigua, a retired educator, has filed a lawsuit against the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on a number of issues, including significant unpaid overtime and Ksh18 million in off-duty benefits.
One of his main contentions is the absence of a clear definition of a teacher’s working hours, which, he argues, has led to his loss of a significant amount during his teaching career. Gachigua maintains that a teacher’s standard working week consists of 45 hours, spread across eight hours per day from Monday to Friday and five hours on Saturday.
Based on this, he is seeking the Ksh18 million as cumulative compensation for the period, citing violations of his rights as outlined in the Employment Act.One of the most important parts of his lawsuit is his demand that the TSC give teachers 30 days’ notice before moving them. He believes it is unlawful to force teachers to move suddenly without taking into account the effects on their families and well-being.
Gachigua has shared his personal experiences, including an abrupt transfer during his time as a principal at Kanyama Secondary School in Mathira in 2000. He views such transfers as unconstitutional and notes that they were repeated in 2013 when he was demoted and placed as a classroom teacher at Rugathi Secondary School.
He then chose to take a study leave and was eventually assigned to Thogoto Teachers College in 2018. Because of what he saw to be TSC persecution, he chose to retire after just one year there.
One of Gachigua’s main points of contention is the difference in pay for overtime in comparison to other professions. He identifies this as a result of appointment letters not having clearly stated working hours and emphasizes the need for a thorough examination of employment laws.
According to him, the TSC has been disobeying this clause for a long time and is driven by the goal of improving the teaching profession and enabling teachers to have the same level of enjoyment in their work as other professionals.
