A section of Muslim leaders in the Coast region has threatened court action against the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) over the few vacancies within the Islamic teaching positions.
The leaders have complained of Islamic Religious Education (IRE) teachers being sidelined, with few positions advertised by TSC in its latest round of recruitment.
“Out of the positions outlined by TSC for teaching opportunities in the country, only 12 have been given to IRE. That is very unfair,” Sheikh Juma Ngao, the National Chairman of the Kenyan Muslims Advisory Council (Kemnac) said.
He added that most of those teachers are jobless, forcing them to offer private tuition yet they are qualified for these public service positions.
“The positions for Muslim teachers and those teaching Christian studies should be equal. We have Islamic universities in almost every region of the country, but once the teachers graduate they have nowhere to teach,” said Sheikh Ngao, adding that the few vacanises advterised by TSC will not serve the number ofunemployed IRE teachers.
The religious leaders also wanted the IRE teachers to be employed in public schools.
“In most public schools you will find more than one teacher is undertaking Christianity lessons, but only one or two are employed to teach IRE,” he said “Equal opportunities and equal participation will help bring on unity amongst Kenyans. The government needs to revisit these issues and give us answers or we will be forced to move to court.”
Kemnac Vice-Chair, Sheikh Abubakar Amin said they now want the pertinent issues raised revisited and more Islamic teachers opportunities created.
“We saw the qualified Islamic teachers taking over Northeastern region and teaching students when the TSC withdrew Christian teachers. Then why should they not be given more opportunities now,” said Sheikh Amin.