PROTECT TEACHERS FROM FAITH BASED DISCRIMINATION.

In Kenya most secondary schools are nondenominational and are supported by parents and partly funded by the government. The government also funds faith based schools that meet certain standards. Part of the government funding to faith based schools includes the provision of state employed teachers. However, many of these teachers continue to remain uniquely vulnerable to religious discrimination.

This is because there have been numerous instances where majority of the so called sponsors/management in the state funded faith schools have indirectly or otherwise discriminated on the basis of religion in hiring decisions. If for instance, TSC allots an employment opportunity to such a school, and the school`s BoG decides to rate religious devotion higher than numerical felicity when appointing a math teacher, then there is nothing in the law that can stop them.

Secondly, if a TSC employed teacher is unfortunate enough to be transferred to such a state funded faith school despite his or her beliefs, his or her problems may just have started. This is because, such school boards can decide levels of promotion on the basis of the beliefs of such a teacher, meaning that there can be a de facto ban on senior posts if he or she is of the "wrong" faith.

Thirdly, sometimes such BoGs can influence a teacher to be dismissed for conduct which is “incompatible” with the school's faith. Here, it is up to the BoG of such a school to define the "precepts" of the school's religion and what forms of conduct are incompatible with it. In this context, one is left wondering just what forms of conduct could be considered cause for reprimand, interdiction or even suspension by TSC.

It will perhaps not be unsurprising to hear that a teacher was interdicted and suspended from service without pay for a couple of months or even dismissed and removed from the roll of teachers simply because such a teacher refused to take students to a Sunday Service or that a teacher failed to turn up for remedial teaching on a Saturday irrespective of whether such a teacher is obliged to observe it as his or her Sabbath. I have even heard of instances where a teacher was charged with insubordination for refusing to participate in a compulsory praise and worship session in school!

In many instances, TSC has always taken the agent`s words as the gospel truth irrespective of whether their actions or inactions are contrary to the TSC Code of Regulations and the code of conduct and ethics. Unfortunately, TSC has made no coherent or principled defense of this situation. It is time that TSC protected teachers against any form of religious discrimination.

TOME FRANCIS,

BUMULA.

http://twitter.com/tomefrancis