The race to succeed outgoing Teachers Service Commission chief executive officer Ms Nancy Macharia has begun, with only four months left before she leaves office.
Ms Macharia who is set to retire at the end of June upon completing her second and final five-year term was appointed to the office in June 2015. Nation established she is on leave as she prepares to exit.
When the commission appeared before the Education Committee of the National Assembly on February 20, 2025, it was represented by Commissioner Ibrahim Gedi Mumin in an acting capacity.
The position of CEO of the TSC is influential as it is the biggest employer with more than 350,000 teachers on its payroll. Officials of teachers’ unions have called for a transparent recruitment process as well as expressed their expectations of the next CEO. Opinion on Ms Macharias’s record at the helm of TSC is divided as depends on who you ask.
“We expect a team player coming to TSC. An individual who will understand stakeholders and offer a better management style to ensure everybody gets satisfied at the service of the commission,” said Hesbon Otieno, the deputy secretary general of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut).
Mr Otieno expects the incoming TSC boss to apply a high level of professionalism above the board. The union has had a chequered relationship with TSC with Ms Macharia as CEO but appears to have recently buried the hatchet.
“The individual should escalate TSC to higher heights. We have incomplete business in terms of our collective bargaining agreement, involvement in policy formulation, and the general welfare of teachers in their places of work to ensure a conducive working environment,” he added.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
He said Knut looks forward to a successor who will listen to the grievances of teachers which, he said, are special individual challenges that need to be handled at individual levels.
The acting secretary general of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), Moses Nthurima said Ms Macharia will be remembered for the strides she made in the commission.
“She’s supposed to leave at the end of June, so perhaps the advert will be put up towards the end of April to source for another CEO. She’s rightful on the seat. Ms Macharia has brought a lot of transformation; we appreciate her a lot. But Kuppet has no say in the recruitment process,” said Mr Nthurima.
He said Ms Macharia excelled in reforming the TSC, adding that whoever takes over from her will have an easier time.
“What we don’t appreciate is the recruitment of teachers which might have gone into the hands of politicians. Politicians have invaded TSC taking the recruitment letters. We want the employment of teachers to be based on merit,” he added.
“She was the pioneer secretary of TSC when it became an independent commission. She has done well when she took over from Mr Gabriel Lengoiboni who served when TSC wasn’t an independent commission.”
Kuppet, he said, wants a secretary who is transformative, who listens to the teachers and understands the commission.
Mr Nthurima believes the commission would be better led by an insider rather than an individual coming in from another sector.
Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
“Because it would be difficult for an outsider to understand critical issues in the sector. An insider would be much better, he or she would understand the commission and teachers more,” he added.
According to the TSC Act, to be appointed chief executive officer, one must be a citizen of Kenya, and hold a degree in education from a university recognised in Kenya.
“Has had at least 10 years’ experience in education, administration and management, public administration, human resource or financial management and meets the requirements of chapter six of the constitution,” read the requirements in the TSC Act (2012).
The Act states that the secretary shall hold office for a term of five years but shall be eligible for re-appointment for one further term of five years.
The new TSC boss shall be the head of the secretariat, accounting officer of the commission, custodian of all records of the commission and responsible for executing decisions.
However, according to the Act, the secretary may be removed from office in accordance with the terms and conditions of service for inability to perform the functions of the office arising out of physical and mental infirmity, gross misconduct, or misbehaviour.
