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Herald Reporter
Tertiary institutions workers will soon be moved from the Public Service Commission to a new body called Tertiary Education Service whose role would be to improve the conditions of service.

Under the arrangement, the Tertiary Education Service will be controlled and managed by a board known as Tertiary Education Council.

The new arrangement is consistent with Government’s desire to promote the development and implementation of the national skills planning and development strategy, promote university, technical and vocational education that lead to the production of goods and services and ensure their operational independence.

The new arrangement is contained in the Manpower Planning and Development Amendment Bill that was tabled for debate in the National Assembly last week.

Clause 21 of the Bill provide for the establishment of the Tertiary Education Service to determine conditions of service of its staff as well as providing for the transfer of persons employed in tertiary institutions from the Public Service to the Tertiary Education Service.

“The functions of the council or its delegated authorities, shall be — (a) to appoint persons to technical or vocational institution and teacher’s colleges to, whether as permanent members or on contract or otherwise, to assign and promote them to offices, posts and grades and to fix their conditions of service and (b) to inquire into and deal with complaints made by members; (c) to exercise disciplinary powers in relation to members,” reads the clause.

The council is also mandated to formulate, develop and implement measures and policies designed to coordinate and integrate the functioning and operations of members of technical or vocational institution and teacher’s colleges.

The Bill provides that the council shall consist of a Secretary, who shall be an ex-officio member and not less than five and not more than nine members appointed, by the responsible Minister in consultation with the President.

“Members referred to in subsection (2)(b) shall be appointed for their knowledge of and experience in academia, business-related fields, engineering, human resource management and law,” read the Bill.

The proposed law provides transitional period that obtains during the intervening period.