Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa has defended his TSC Amendment Bill before the Budget and Appropriations Committee, proposing part-time commissioners and direct nomination of teacher representatives.
Barasa first introduced the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on February 24, 2025, and remains the sole sponsor according to parliamentary records as of December 3, 2025.
The proposal aimed to amend the Teachers Service Commission Act of 2012 by doing away with sections that provide for full-time commissioners.
Under the bill, the TSC chairperson and eight commissioners would transition to part-time status, holding only six sittings per year.
According to the proposed bill, commissioners would receive a sitting allowance of between KSh 40,000 and KSh 50,000 per sitting instead of their current monthly salaries.
The bill proposed that the current monthly salaries for commissioners range from KSh 650,000 to KSh 765,000, plus benefits such as official vehicles and medical coverage.
Barasa stated that the part-time arrangement would save the government between KSh 70 million and KSh 80 million annually.
The bill proposed that registered teachers directly nominate representatives from primary, secondary, and post-secondary levels to serve on the commission, following the model used by the Judicial Service Commission, the National Police Service Commission, and the Public Service Commission.
Barasa cited South Africa’s part-time educator council as one of the models considered for the proposed structure.
The bill remains before the Budget and Appropriations Committee for consideration ahead of public participation and subsequent readings in the National Assembly.
