The no-nonsense approach by Teacher Service Commission (TSC) CEO Nancy Macharia on teachers affairs best exemplifies the quintessential iron lady. She has silenced the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) leadership and continues to steer the commission the best way she knows. She took over from Gabriel Lengoiboni who retired in 2015.
Here is her story as told by WoK.
Age and Education
The TSC chief executive was born in 1963. In 1987, she graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Education in English/Literature. Ms. Nancy pursued a master of Education Policy and Management at Bristol University, UK.
Career
She started as a teacher at Kahuhia Girls’ Secondary in Murang’a before being promoted to deputy principal of Kianderi Girls’ Secondary in the same county. The ambitious Ms Nancy quit as a teacher and took a job as a staffing officer. She later became director teacher management, reporting directly to the CEO. She was tasked with management of 4 senior deputies.
Background
The CEO position was advertised on May,1. It drew 69 candidates and 4 were shortlisted. After the grueling interviews, Nancy was appointed. She is the 9th person and 1st woman to hold this position.
Training
She has trained both locally and internationally in:
Business excellence models
Public procurement
Information Communication Technology(ICT)
Corporate governance
Proactive management
She is also a member of the Kenya Association of Public Administration Management(KAPAM) and institute of directors.
Controversies
Kenyans on Twitter have continuously bashed Nancy. A section of social media users castigated the CEO for being oblivious to the dangers teachers face working in North Eastern.
Teachers in this region face hostility and even some are killed by Al Shabaab militants. The CEO, appeared before the National Assembly’s Education Committee and threatened them with interdiction if they absconded duty.
Achievements
In 2014, President Uhuru awarded her the Order of Grand Warrior. This was due to her development contribution both inside and outside the workplace.
She was part of the team that steered the national integrated data system for TSC. She also negotiated for funds from world bank.
In order to solve the ghost workers problem, she initiated the teacher management information system.
Hobbies
In her CV she cited the following hobbies: traveling, assisting the society’s less fortunate, gym, music and farming.
