‎The Teachers Service Commission ( TSC) has dismissed claims of political interference and corruption in the recruitment of teachers.

The sentiments follow claims by National Assembly Speaker (NAS), Moses Wetang’ula in August that some MPs received bulk of teachers’ appointment letters for distribution, sparking intense public uproar and allegations of corruption and political interference in the recruitment exercise.

Wentang’ula had also without giving names alleged that  some politicians were exploiting the opportunity by selling the placement letters to desperate job seekers for amounts ranging from Sh150, 000 to Sh400, 000.

However, the TSC Chair Dr. Jamleck Muturi termed the claims as overly untrue and misleading, stressing that the commission was an independent body, which only hires teachers on merit.

Speaking at St. Mary’s Kiangima High School in Embu County  Thursday during a build-up activity for this year’s World Teachers Day celebrations to be held on October 5, Dr. Muturi said no recruitment letters were being issued to Members of Parliament to give out to their cronies.

” We are an independent Commission, whereby we don’t receive instructions from anybody to employ teachers, we work within the realms of the Constitution,” he said.

The chairperson revealed that recruitment of more teachers will kick off in November and told TSC critics to visit various recruitment centers to establish the veracity of the matter.

‎  “We normally advertise for positions and all those interested apply and then go for in terviews and no employment letters whatsoever are given out by politicians,” he reiterated.

‎Muturi maintained that any recruitment and employment including issuing of appointment letters remains strictly the constitutional mandate of TSC under article 237.

‎by Samuel Waititu