Pregnancy is a crucial time in every woman’s life. During these times, a woman is very delicate and vulnerable. Why is it so important for women to be well taken care of during this period? Well it is quite obvious as they are bearing another life and are even more sensitive to their environment.
In Kenya, the government has ensured that all pregnant women are granted a maternity leave. Therefore, female teachers who work for TSC are also included and are entitled to it. However, there are some conditions for one to be granted the TSC maternity leave. These conditions include;
- A teacher must apply for a maternity leave at least one month before the intended withdrawal from working. Failure to this, and proceeding to maternity leave without official directive might lead to disciplinary action.
- The teacher is required to consult a qualified physician for the right information and dates.
- Before resuming to work after the leave, submit a birth notification to the suitable official.
Step 1; Acquiring form
The first step to acquiring a maternity leave is to secure a TSC Maternity leave form. You can download the form from TSC website. In this form, you are required to fill all the details that TSC regards importance in order to be granted the leave.
Step 2; Filling the form
Ensure you have the form in hardcopy for this section.
The following addresses are required; TSC County director address, your school’s address and the address of the school principal or headmaster. The postal contacts should also be indicated in the provided area.
In the first section, all that is required is your personal details which include; your name, TSC number, your husband’s name, date of leave application, your signature and the time you are expected to start your maternity leave.
For the second section, a doctor is expected to fill in the mentioned details. The medic is to be approved and registered by the law. He/ She is to fill the following; the expected date of delivery, date of the prenatal appointment, a supporting medical document(s) and a signature. In addition, the physician’s name is also to be included.
Step 3; Submitting the form
It is important to note that TSC demands the documents in triplicate and it is therefore important to have three copies of the document.
Submit your forms to the head of your institution. The head of the institution will then take the documents to the Director of City Education (DCE), District Education Officer (DEO) and the Municipality Education Officer (MEO).
TSC Maternity leave Duration.
TSC maternity leave is 3 months long (90 days). This is counted from the date the leave commences. However, if one feels like this is not enough time, you can always apply for your annual leave right after applying for the maternity leave. During this period, you will be eligible for full-pay. However, a newly appointed teacher is not obliged to receive remuneration during the maternity leave.
Male teachers employed by the TSC are also entitled to a 10 day paternity leave which falls within the maternity leave period. For polygamous males, TSC only grants paternity leaves if the expectant spouse’s name appears on the NHIF card.
