Struggle for visually impaired teacher to obtain TSC number

Dennis Omondi’s determination to become a special needs teacher forced him to take the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam at the age of 32.

He joined Class 7 at Kibos Primary School in 2008 at the age of 31 after he decided to become a special needs education (SNE) teacher following an accident that turned him blind in 2000.

The 48-year-old SNE graduate from Maseno University dropped out of school in 1994 after scoring 36 marks in KCPE out of the possible 700.

According to Omondi, his late mother tried to persuade him to repeat for better grades, but he decided to join Kisauni Polytechnic, where he also dropped out for lack of fees.

He trained in painting works at a garage in Aldina Mombasa County and later secured a maintenance job a hotel in Nyali, where, in 1999, an accident cost him his eyesight.

Omondi failed to properly secure his spray gun handle, which disintegrated from the bucket and hit the ground as he tried to save it, splashing into his eyes.

Three months later, he was declared blind, and for five years, Omondi was in denial and held onto hopes of regaining his sight.

In 2000, Omondi joined the Holy Ghost Coptic Church of Africa led by Rev John Pesa, and for 21 years, he embarked on a journey to pray for his eyesight to recover.

His visits to eye clinics at Lions Mobile Clinic in Kisumu, Light House in Mombasa, Thogotho Eye Clinic in Kikuyu, Russia in Kisumu, and Sabatia Eye Clinic in Kakamega bore no fruit.

“My aunt took me to Machakos Institute for the Blind around September 2003 for rehabilitation. I found many others who were blind, including teachers, and it gave me hope. I was trained on how to walk and do minor menial jobs, including cooking,” said Omondi.

For two years, Omondi learnt tannery and leather work and specialised in shoemaking, and after graduating in 2005, he returned to Mombasa and started a booming shoe repair and polishing venture at Kongowea market with his colleague.

However, in the 2007 post-election violence, he lost his tools and closed down. Frustrated, Omondi returned to his home church in Kisumu and decided to go back to school.

He said that in 2008, he joined Kibos Primary School in class seven at 31 years old, and with his efforts and discipline, he proceeded to class eight, where he scored 275 marks in the 2000 KCPE.

In 2013, Omondi scored a C minus in KCSE and joined Maseno University to pursue a diploma in Special and Inclusive Education. He scored a credit.

The university could not issue him with a Teachers Service Commission number because he did not score a C plain, which is a requirement for teachers.

Determined, Omondi followed TSC advice to pursue a degree to qualify to be registered as a teacher. In 2016, he enrolled for a degree at Maseno University, applied for a HELB loan, and received a bursary from the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), which enabled him to pay fees for the degree programme.

In 2021 Omondi finally graduated with a second degree with upper honours with a specialisation in Music and Christian Religious Education, but still, the TSC number remained elusive.

And despite being posted by the Public Service Commission through the Ministry of Education on a one-year internship, working in customer care at the Ministry of Education office in Likoni sub-County, Omondi remains uncertain about ever becoming a recognised teacher.

“I have applied three times for a TSC number, and they said my application was reset because I got a c minus. They are still referring to the C minus I scored, yet they advised me to undertake a degree,” said Omondi.

He said that without a TSC number, he cannot teach even in private schools. “I am capable of teaching; I have been equipped and have acquired enough skills and experience to be a teacher,’ said Omondi.

He wonders who will come to his aid after years of toiling, tarmacking, and braving all odds. “If PWDs are denied jobs, who will help us?” Posed Omondi.