Lifestyle

School Pastors And Imams To Be Paid By TSC

BY Getrude Mathayo · August 3, 2023 12:08 pm

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is set to hire pastors and Imams in schools in order to promote Value-based Education (VbE), according to the proposals of the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms.

President William Ruto received the report on Tuesday, August 1, where stakeholders in the education sector expressed the need to create awareness about VbE.

According to the report, the task force proposed achieving this by involving all members of the school community, integrating values across all learning areas, and developing and implementing structured chaplaincy programs in schools.

Following the approval of this plan, the Ministry of Education (MoE) will be in charge of the responsibility of developing structured chaplaincy (religious and moral) and counseling guidelines and programs.

Curriculum development will be undertaken collaboratively by the MoE, legal professional counseling bodies, and faith-based organizations.

“TSC shall employ and deploy teachers as chaplains/imams in schools and the chaplains/imams can be shared between schools,” PWP recommended.

There are no specific details regarding the academic qualifications needed for pastors and imams who will be employed by TSC. Moreover, there was no mention of the religious leaders earmarked for the roles.

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Additionally, TSC will also be entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that schools respect the religious rights of every student.

“A provision on facilitation of religious rights of learners in schools including the sponsored schools should be included in the Basic Education Act,” reads part of the report.

The education task force also recommended that the Education Cabinet Secretary be assigned the duty of engaging with all religious groups in the country through consultative forums. According to the report, the objective of the proposal is to develop guidelines that aim to facilitate the religious rights of all learners in basic education institutions.