Officially TSC Teachers Are Set To Retire At 55

Officially TSC Teachers Are Set To Retire At 55. A measure to change the required retirement age for teachers, who are state workers, has been introduced in parliament. Teachers will now need to prepare for this shift.

 

 

 

 

The Kenya Kwanza government is now committed to ensuring that senior public servants retire from their positions to make room for the younger generation.

 

 

 

 

The mandatory retirement age should be lowered from its current 60 years to 55 in order to allow young people to work in public service. This is the topic of a serious parliamentary debate.

 

 

 

 

Before being removed off the payroll at the age of fifty-five, those who are getting close to that age will receive training on life after retirement.

 

Those with fifty five years and over were already trained but will be notified of the changes before being retired.

 

During its consideration of the Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023 on Thursday, August 3, 2023, the Labour committee of the National Assembly said that it will be introducing an amendment to the proposed legislation that would cap the retirement age at 55.

 

Benjamin Gathiru, the Member of Parliament for Embakasi Central, is sponsoring a bill that aims to change the present Act by stating that no officer should serve in an acting capacity for longer than six months.

 

 

Officially TSC Teachers Are Set To Retire At 55

 

MP Fabian Muli of Kangundo stated that the committee should suggest more changes to the Bill to lower the retirement age if it is to suit the interests of the younger generation.

 

“We need to think further and reduce the age to 55 to make the youth of this country proud,” Mr Muli said.

 

Muli had declared that should the committee fail to factor in the age reduction amendment, he would propose the change as an individual.

 

Kilifi South MP Ken Chonga said the committee needs to amend the necessary legal provisions on the retirement age.

 

“We need to get to know how the 60 years retirement age was arrived at so that we can amend those provisions,” Mr Chonga said

Lunga Lunga MP Mangale Munga, while supporting the reduction of the retirement age, said there is a need to cater for the growth of young people.

 

“Why 60 years? It should be made 55 years old so as to make space for the young people. That is a proposal, it might be popular or unpopular but that is what I think,” Mr Munga said.

 

Mr Gathiru said: “I have given the committee leeway to amend the Bill but we should not lose the meaning and its intention,” Mr Gathiru said.

Officially TSC Teachers Are Set To Retire At 55

If the proposals sail through, it will mean that the majority of civil servants expected to retire in the next five years will go home earlier, a move that will have far-reaching implications, including burdening a government already struggling with finances through a heavier pension bill.

The National Treasury paid out Sh69.22 billion in pension and gratuity in the six months to December 2021

A 2016 audit showed that 35 per cent of employees in the national government were aged between 51 and 60 years.

 

According to the Public Service Commission (PSC) annual report for the Financial Year 2021/2022, a total of 3,958 officers exited the service in 47 ministries departments and agencies.

 

The Public Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2023 proposes that a person may be appointed in acting capacity for a period of at least 30 days but not exceeding six months.

According to the proposed legislation, a person will only be appointed to hold a public office in acting capacity after meeting all qualifications for that particular officer.

 

“An acting appointment shall be in favour of a public officer who is duly qualified and competent to perform the duty and not undermine the expeditious appointment or deployment of a competent person to the public office concerned,” reads the Bill

 

If one is appointed in acting capacity without the requisite qualifications, such appointment will be revoked by the Public Service Commission immediately.

 

In February 2023 the then CS Public Service Commission, Aisha Jumwa, had ordered immediate stoppage of extension of service for retired officers.

This came at a time when Teachers Service Commission (TSC) was on a tendency of extending service for retired headteachers and principals.

 

“Section 80(1) (a) and (b) of the Public Service Commission Act 2017 provides that a Public Officer shall retire from the service with effect from the date of attaining the mandatory retirement age.

 

Jumwa stated in a circular dated February 16, 2023, “The Commission or any other appointing authority shall not extend the service of such retired Public Officers beyond the mandatory age of 60 years and sixty-five (65) years for persons with disability.”

 

 

 

 

She also gave the order to immediately revoke the current extensions.

 

 

 

 

“This letter is intended to request the suspension of all extension review cases and the revocation of any current easements in order to facilitate the implementation of appropriate laws and succession management protocols throughout the Public Service,” the spokesperson stated.

Officially TSC Teachers Are Set To Retire At 55