TSC Fires 724 JSS Teachers Who Took Part in Strike: "Absence from Duty"

 

TSC  fires junior secondary teachers who went on strike

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has terminated the contracts of 742 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers who participated in a recent strike. TSC defended move to fire 724 JSS teachers.  Citizen TV reported that 742 teachers were interdicted on the grounds of professional misconduct. In letters sent to affected teachers, TSC stated that the JSS had failed to provide a satisfactory response to the show cause letter sent to them. Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with TUKO. Enroll Now! Other JSS teachers allegedly ignored the letter sent by their employer, leading to their interdiction. "The commission has noted you failed and/or ignored to provide any reason for your absence from duty and in view of the above, the commission has terminated your internship effective June 6, 2024," the interdiction letters read in part. TSC explained that the move to participate in the strike amounted to professional misconduct by deserting duty from May 13 to June 6 while engaged as an intern teacher. The commission defended the move, noting that it followed the process of sacking the affected teachers. TSC stated that they sent show cause letters to 10,348 JSS teachers who participated in the strike,, but only 9,606 responded within two weeks as directed. "10,348 who absented themselves from work from May 13, 2024, were given show-cause letters to explain their whereabouts," the Commission said. Of them, 742 teachers who did not report to work and whose whereabouts were not known had their contracts terminated and replaced," TSC said. 

by  Amos Khaemba