The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued thousands of show cause letters to teachers who failed to declare their assets last year.
The commission, which shared a list of teachers who failed to declare their funding with deputy county directors (SCDs), says teachers should respond or miss pay as early as next week
“Unless a satisfactory reason is given by Monday next week, teachers will miss their pay,” one of the deputy county directors warned teachers yesterday.
Like other public service employees, teachers also have to declare their assets after every two years.
Sections 26 and 27 of the Public Officers Ethics Act (POEA) require all public officials to declare their Income, Assets and Liabilities (IAL) every two years. The last asset declaration was made in 2021.
In a circular number 12/2021 dated 4 October 2021 addressed to all TSC heads and teachers and copies sent to regional and county directors, the commission ordered teachers to declare their assets by 31 December 2021.
The Commission said that any announcement made after midnight of December 31, 2021 will not be considered.
The Commission’s CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia also warned of dire consequences for teachers who fail to comply
“Any teacher employed by the Commission who fails to furnish a declaration or gives false or misleading information shall be liable to a fine of Kshs 1,000,000 or shall be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year or shall be convicted of both ,” said Nancy Macharia.
He further said, administrative disciplinary action will be taken on the teacher as per TSC administrative procedures on DIAL (Declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities).
He said that all teachers employed by TSC should declare income, assets and liabilities. These include teachers:
• Holiday of any nature
• Contradiction
• Suspension
The teacher employer had said that teachers who are in employment for a period of less than two years should submit their initial declarations as the system has been adapted to facilitate this.
TSC ordered heads of institutions to monitor announcement progress in their respective institutions and report on non-compliance by December 31, 2021.
In a bulk SMS sent to teachers on 3/11/2021, the Commission said that the money declaration exercise is on and asked those who have not started doing so.
“Dear Mrs. Kimani, This is to inform you that the money declaration exercise is underway and will end on 31st December 2021. From the Declaration of Income, Assessments and Liabilities (DIALs) Instructional Manual at www.teachersonline.tsc.go.ke Avoid. Last minute, file your declaration at the earliest as advised through circular no. 12/2021 sent to your email,” read the SMS sent to Jane Kimani, a teacher in Nyandarua.
But not all teachers were able to declare their assets as per the commission
• Authorized absence of duty.
