Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Tanzania

The Teachers' Service Commission has gone through various stages in its establishment. The steps are as follows :-

TEACHER SERVICE DEPARTMENT

Following the Employment and Management Policy in the Public Service of 1999, the Public Service was merged. The Public Service Act No. 8 of 2002 was introduced and repealed the former Teachers' Service Commission Act No. 1 of 1989. The Commission was made a Department of the Public Service Commission (PSC) under Article 15(1) of the Act, (b). The department handled all the duties that were being performed by the TSC for teachers employed in Government Schools.

However, with the Amendment of Law No. 18 of 2007, the Public Service Commission was made a receiver, and the Department of Teacher Service continued to be active. The system brought challenges in the implementation of TSD's responsibilities under the Reform Tool. In addition, the biggest challenge faced by TSD was the severe lack of financial and human resources. Also, there was a challenge of teachers' appeals against the Department's decision to be handled by the Public Service Commission. The government saw that the service of teachers should be given special importance due to their number, the uniqueness of the responsibilities and other challenges that have emerged.

TEACHER SERVICE COMMISSION

The report of the President's Commission on Education under Mr. Jackson Makweta (1980-82) revealed that the issue of teacher service management was a challenge. As the teachers were increasing, the problems of lack of proper services were also increasing. The commission saw the challenge of UTS being a small unit in the former Ministry of Education and Culture and the Offices of Regional and District Development Directors. They saw that the structure could not cope with the large increase in teachers and the challenges that had been identified.

Law no. 1 of 1989 established the Teachers' Service Commission which was an independent Department under the Ministry of Education and Culture. All the functions performed by UTS were transferred to TSC.

SERVICES FOR TEACHERS

The Government decided to combine the services of all Government and Private Sector teachers under Law no. 6 of the year 1962 of Service for Teachers (Unified Teaching Service - UTS).

UTS handled the service of all Government teachers and other Employers in matters related to Employment, confirmation at work, promotion and Ethics and Discipline. A teacher employed by another Employer outside the Government, filled out a contract with his Employer and submitted it to UTS for registration and given a registration number (UTS No.). Recommendations for job confirmation and promotion were submitted to UTS, and all Employers implemented the decision made by UTS.

The Pillars of Teaching Work Ethics were developed and taught in Teaching Colleges. In addition, every Teacher should consider those pillars regardless of the type of Employer. Any teacher who broke the Code of Conduct for Teaching or had any misconduct was punished under the provisions of the UTS.

TEACHER SERVICE COMMISSION

Law No. 25 of 2015 established the Teachers Service Commission. The teachers covered under this Act are Government employed teachers who teach in Primary and Secondary Schools in Local Government Authorities. The duties of the Commission are mentioned in section 5 of the Act.

The issue of Ethics and Discipline for Teachers has continued to be under the Teachers' Service Commission, which is to define and manage the Ethics, Taboos and Discipline of the teaching profession.