TSC CEO Nancy Macharia to step down after decade-long tenure

Nancy Macharia, the long-serving Chief Executive Officer of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), has announced that she will be retiring early next year, marking the end of her decade-long tenure.

Macharia, who took office in June 2015 and was reappointed in 2020, shared the news during her address at the annual general meeting of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) in Mombasa on Monday.

In a heartfelt message to KNUT, Macharia expressed her deep appreciation for the union's professionalism throughout her tenure.

"Sincerely, I have no words to express my most profuse appreciation to KNUT for the utmost professionalism with which you have dealt with me over the last nine years," Macharia said.

"As I approach the tail-end of my 10-year service as secretary and CEO of the TSC, I can only look back with an incredible tinge of satisfaction over our enviable work relationship. I wish you the very best as you work to elevate the teaching profession to even higher standards," she added.

Macharia's time as TSC CEO has been marked by both praise and controversy, especially in her dealings with KNUT.

Her relationship with the union, particularly under the leadership of former KNUT Secretary-General Wilson Sossion, was often fraught with disagreements.

Key areas of conflict included the roll-out of the competency-based curriculum and the implementation of the career progression guidelines (CPGs), which KNUT preferred to be aligned with the Teachers' Code of Regulations and Schemes of Service for the Teaching Service.

Court battle

These disputes escalated into a court battle, which initially sided with KNUT, but the union later faced significant challenges.

The introduction of the CPGs led to teacher stagnation in certain job groups, and TSC stopped remitting union dues for KNUT members.

This move severely weakened KNUT's operations, contributing to a decline in membership and a wave of resignations.

The culmination of these tensions saw Sossion removed from his position within KNUT, with his successor Collins Oyuu steering the union away from confrontations with TSC.

Oyuu's leadership was highlighted by a more conciliatory approach, even pulling out of a planned strike in August.

Macharia revealed that, in 2024 alone, TSC had held over 10 formal consultations with KNUT, aside from informal meetings with union leaders.

Despite the challenges, Macharia has overseen significant achievements during her tenure. One of her major accomplishments was the establishment of the first collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the government and teachers, ensuring better terms for the profession.

Under her leadership, TSC also introduced a comprehensive health insurance cover for teachers, although it faced a range of challenges.

"The commission has institutionalised collective bargaining in the teaching service, which has led to the signing and implementation of two four-year cycle CBAs the 2017 -2021.CBA at a cost of Sh54 billion and the 2021-2025 CBA at a cost of Sh18 billion. The commission is currently waiting for your (KNUT) memorandum to commence the 2025-2029 CBA. The ball is in your court," Macharia stated.

Additionally, Macharia is credited with introducing performance management within the teaching service through the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) system, a reform initially opposed by Sossion but now entrenched in the education system.

While KNUT now enjoys a more harmonious relationship with TSC, Macharia's leadership has faced challenges with other unions, notably the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).

The tensions reached a peak in August when KUPPET's national strike led to another dispute over the deduction of union dues. KUPPET, like KNUT in the past, had to resort to court action to resolve the issue.

Macharia's retirement marks the close of a pivotal chapter in Kenya's education sector, leaving behind a legacy of both progress and contention.