Trainers serving at various public vocational and technical training institutions across the country will move to new Job Groups after serving in their current grades for a minimum of three years.
This will be good news for the college tutors as this will address the recruitment, promotion and appointment of the more than 7,000 trainers who were initially under the employment of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and moved to the Public Service Commission (PSC) in 2018.
The new development is contained in a Circular (Ref No. MPYG/DPSM/HRM/4/1/VOL.IX/138) dated May 30, 2019 written by Safina Kwekwe Tsungu, the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs and addressed to her counterpart in charge of Vocational and Technical Training, Ministry of Education, Dr Kevit Desai.
According to the letter copied to the Cabinet Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs and The Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, the new policy became operational from 16th May, 2018.
Under the new dispensation, Assistant Vocational and Technical Trainer, the entry grade for a diploma holder will move to the next job group after serving for a minimum of one year.
The same applies to a Vocational and Technical Trainer, the entry grade for a degree holder.
It would be good news for hundreds of trainers who have stagnated in one job group for over ten years while under TSC.
The development follows the release of the revised Scheme of Service (SOS) to guide the recruitment, deployment, and promote trainers in technical training institutions.
The SOS establishes six grades of Assistant Vocational and Technical Trainers and 7 grades of Vocational and Technical Trainers for diploma and degree holders respectively.
An assistant vocational and technical trainer in Job Group H and can rise to the highest rank of Chief Assistant Vocational and Technical Trainer, Job Group N.
A vocational and technical trainer in Job Group K can move to Chief Principal Vocational and Technical Trainer in Job group R.
“The scheme of service will thus provide clear and concise job descriptions and specifications at all levels within the respective grading structures.
The provisions of the scheme, once implemented, will no doubt greatly assist in the recruitment, deployment, retention and general development of officers in the two cadres,” Safina stated.
It also seeks to provide for a clearly defined career structure to attract, motivate and facilitate retention of suitably qualified and competent Vocational and Technical Personnel in the Civil service.
It will provide for well-defined job descriptions and specifications with clear delineation of duties and responsibilities at all levels within the career structure to enable officers understand the requirements of their jobs.
Besides, it will also establish standards of recruitment, training and advancement within the career structure on the basis of qualifications, competence, merit and ability as reflected in work performances and results. Kenya TVET Scheme Of Service
It will also oversee appropriate career planning and succession management in the technical and vocational training institutions.
The lowest grade is that of the Assistant Vocational and technical Trainer III at Job Group H, followed by Assistant Vocational and Technical Trainer II at Job Group J.
Assistant Vocational and technical Trainer I will be at Job Group K while Senior Assistant Vocational and Technical Trainer II will be in Job Group L.
Senior Assistant Vocational and technical Trainer I will be in Job Group M while Chief Assistant Vocational and technical Trainer will be ranked in job group N.
On the Vocational and Technical Trainers, the lowest rank is that of Vocational and technical Trainer at job group K followed by Senior Vocational and Technical Trainer at job group L.
Chief Vocational and technical Trainer will be in job group M as the Principal Vocational and Technical Trainer II will be in job group N.
Principal Vocational and technical Trainer I will be in job group P and next in rank is Senior Vocational and technical Trainer at Q.
Chief Principal Vocational and technical Trainer, the lead administrator, is ranked in job group R.
According to the Salaries and Remunerations for county and national civil servants 2017, an employee in Job Group R will earn a minimum of Sh118, 007 and a maximum of Sh198, 267 per month.
Those in job group Q earn a minimum of Sh115, 628 and Sh174, 475 per month while those in Job Group P take home a minimum of Sh95, 980 and a maximum of Sh152, 064 per month.
Civil servants in Job Group N earn a minimum basic salary of Sh82, 797 and a maximum of Sh130, 226 per month.
Those in Job Group M earn Sh80,729 and Sh109,550 as minimum and maximum basic salaries respectively, while those in Job Group L earn between Sh51,486 and Sh81,148 per month.
County and National Government employees in job group K pocket Sh44,247 and Sh68,165 per month while those in job group J earn Sh37,945 and Sh56,236 per month.
Those in Job Group H earn a minimum of Sh32, 665 per month and a maximum of Sh47,373 per month.
Direct appointment will normally be made in the grades of Assistant Vocational and technical Trainer III, Job Group H and Vocational and technical Trainer, Job Group K.
“In exceptional circumstances, however, direct appointment may be made beyond the above entry grade provided the candidate is in possession of the minimum qualifications and the experience required for appointment to the grade,” it states.
The document also sets the minimum qualification and experience one has to possess to be considered for promotion or appointment.
A number of trainers are thus expected to convert into the new grading system as indicated in the tables but will retain their current job groups.
Source: educationnews.co.ke
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