Former KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion. Photo/courtesy/Sossion/X
Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Session has called for a forensic audit to uncover corruption in Teachers Service Commission (TSC), alleging that corruption runs rampant in the commission.
Sossion said the situation at TSC “would make angels” to cry arguing that it is violating the constitution, committing crimes and violating laws. He said the auditor general should undertake an audit.
“The situation at TSC will makes angels weep because of the magnitude of corruption. This requires a forensic audit by the auditor general,” Sossion said in an interview in a local TV.
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The former KNUT boss said the leaders and commissioners of TSC should be sent parking to pave way for the audit while calling upon the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the Nancy Macharia-led commission.
“Forensic audit from DCI, and EACC. This may necessitate sending of the commissioners and chair home so that the forensic audit can be done. If we are to regain our lost glory of being the top most education in the country in delivery of quality education and these are the areas where forensic audit must be done,” he said.
Sossion alleged that corruption has plagued the hiring of teachers for the last five years, where teachers have been asked to pay bribes so that they can secure employment and promotion.
According to Sossion TSC had been asking P1 teachers seeking employment to pay Sh350,000 to get employed, Sh500,000 for graduates and Sh150,000 for promotion. He further alleged that this has been orchestrated behind the view of the public citing absencenof advertisement for recruitment by TSC despite continued employment of teachers in the last five years.
“We no longer see competitive advertisement in the newspapers for recruitment yet teachers are employed. And to be employed as a P1 teacher you must pay Sh350,000 and some of these employment letters are sold through government officers,” he claimed.
“To be employed as a graduate is Sh500,000 and to be promoted is Sh150,000.”
He called for an audit into the process of hiring, promotion of teachers as well as financial systems and transactions of TSC.
“Where will a poor teacher get money to do that? Forensic audit on how teachers have been employed, promoted and on the financial system and transactions particularly remittance on third parties where TSC get kickbacks. And forensic audit on policies that are unconstitutional and illegal. Let’s deal with corruption in TSC,” he stated.
Sossion’s allegations comes at the time Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) continues with the second week of strike demanding TSC to meet their demands.
KUPPET’s demands includes implementation of the 2021/2025 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which sought to raise teacher’s pay, promotion of teachers and good working condition.
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Sossion said education is on a decline in the country, arguing that in the last decade Kenya’s quality of education was so high compared to the current situation blaming corruption for the problems in education sector.
“Kenya is on the decline [in education]. Ten years ago we were number one in global competitiveness in delivery of quality education in Africa but now we are in number seven because [of corruption],” Sossion said.
He said he is ready to defend his allegations in the court of law if need be, stating that the matter is serous as it touches on the lives of children in Kenya.
“I am willing to be a witness in all these forensics as an insider in this space and I am not being personal. I am ready to defend my views in a court of law or anywhere because this is a very serious matter. We are talking about the destruction of the lives of children in this country,” he added.
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He pointed out that the demands of striking teachers are being overlooked, adding that TSC should be restructured in order improve the quality of education.
Look at teachers crying and down striking and raising issues. It’s like we are not listening and the whole issue boils down to corruption and how they manage, then we have a bigger problem. Let’s do a forensic audit, restructure TSC, have teachers well managed and regain our glory in delivery of quality education in this country. There is no shortcut about it,” Sossion said.
