The delocalization programme undertaken by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) could be invalidated soon, subject to the passage of a proposal tabled in the National Assembly.
On Thursday, November 3, MPs unanimously approved a motion on the Review of Teacher Deployment Policy, challenging the policy allowing TSC to deploy teachers away from their homes.
The motion was introduced by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) politician and Lurambi MP, Bishop Titus Khamala.
Khamala argued that the delocalization policy was inconsistent with United Nations Educational and Scientific Cultural Organization (UNESCO) teacher deployment practice, which treats education as a cultural process conducted within a people's cultural context at the local level.
Further, the MP noted that the policy disrupted teachers' lives and lowered their morale owing to the trauma arising from the movement.
In addition, the motion holds that teachers were not involved in the decision to effect the policy and lacked a clear policy framework.
"The exercise was not supported with a clear policy framework and was initiated without the participation of teachers or their unions, contrary to Articles 118 and 132 of the Constitution on public participation and involvement of the people in the process of policymaking," read the motion in part.
The motion recommended amends to the current policy in a bid to align it with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and UNESCO guidelines regarding the deployment of teachers.
MPs also recommended a review of the teachers’ deployment policy to ensure deployment will be at the zonal level.
"The motion recommends reviewing the teacher recruitment policy with a view to devolving it to a zonal level as the point of recruitment," read the motion.
President William Ruto vowed to abolish the policy during his campaigns after receiving numerous complaints from teachers' representatives.
Instead, Ruto recommended incentivisation of the teachers' deployment as a way of encouraging them to work outside of their home counties.
