The TSC has cracked the whip on 29 teachers who have been accused of having sexual relations with students.
Male teacher standing before students (8-10) with hands raised
The Government through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has blacklisted the names of 29 teachers from the teachers’ register for having sexual relations with students. The TSC in a gazette notice published in February 2019 listed the 29 names which were struck off between May and November 2018.
According to a report by The Standard, in October 2018, at least 32 teachers were sacked by TSC for engaging in sexual relations with their students. By November 2018, at least 122 teachers had been sacked by the commission.
“In exercise of the powers conferred section 30(1) of the Teachers Service Commission Act Chapter 212 of the Laws of Kenya, the Commission wishes to notify the public that the persons whose names are specified in the schedule herein below have been removed from the Register of the Teachers,” reads the notice in part.
Cases of teacher-student sexual relations have increased and this contributed to the high number of teenage pregnancies that were highlighted during national examinations period last year.
According to a report by Nairobi News last year, the Kilifi county children affairs department has released a shocking report indicating that 13, 624 pregnancies were reported among school children aged between 15 and 19 years for the last one year. Kitui county reported 110 cases of teenage pregnancies during the KCSE exams in 2018. An editorial piece on The Sauce reported on the prevalence of teenage pregnancies in Kenyan schools. “Cases of pregnancy among young girls are high. Teen pregnancy and motherhood rates stand at 18%. About one in every five adolescent girls (aged 15 to 19) has either had a live birth or is pregnant with her first child. ”
United Nations Population Fund (UNFP) indicates that between June 2016 and July 2017, at least 378,397 adolescents in Kenya aged 10 to 19 got pregnant, the majority being of school going age.
TSC is mandated under the law to de-register teachers found guilty of misconduct.
