TSC Promotes 25,000 Teachers as Principals Allege Regional Discrimination.
A total of 25,000 teachers have received a long-awaited career boost through promotions by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). However, while this move brings relief to many educators, some education stakeholders argue that the process was flawed and biased.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has strongly criticized TSC for what they describe as unclear teacher promotion results.
According to an official document reviewed by Teachers Updates, 25,252 primary and post-primary school teachers have been promoted, addressing widespread concerns about career stagnation within the same job group.
These promotions follow the National Treasury’s allocation of Sh1 billion to the TSC, facilitating career advancements for teachers who applied for vacancies announced in November and December of the previous year.
The latest promotions now bring the total number of elevated teachers over the past two years to 56,756. Specifically, 5,690 teachers who applied in November 2024 and 19,943 who submitted applications in December 2024 have benefited from this process.
Union Protests Over Unequal Distribution
Despite this development, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has voiced strong concerns regarding the fairness of the distribution. The union contends that the TSC implemented a uniform allocation of promotions across all regions, disadvantaging counties with larger teacher populations.
Moses Nthurima, the acting secretary general of KUPPET, highlighted that numerous teachers have lodged complaints, asserting that they were unfairly excluded from the 2024/2025 promotion cycle.
Nthurima emphasized that counties such as Kiambu and Kakamega, which have a high concentration of educators, received the same number of promotions as regions with far fewer teachers, leading to an imbalanced system.
KUPPET maintains that this uniform allocation disproportionately benefited teachers in smaller counties, leaving those in densely populated areas to face stiff competition. The union had previously cautioned against such inequities, yet it appears that their concerns were overlooked in the final decision.
KUPPET’s Executive Secretary in Vihiga, Sabala Inyeni, expressed dissatisfaction with TSC’s decision to release only the employment numbers of the promoted teachers while excluding crucial details such as their names, counties, and new roles.
He pointed out that the commission failed to uphold transparency in the promotion process conducted earlier this year and raised concerns that certain regions might be left behind due to the unclear nature of the promotions.
KUPPET officials have reiterated their concerns over the distribution of promotion slots, arguing that the existing quota system disproportionately affects teachers in highly populated areas.
They highlighted that some counties have over 11,000 teachers while others have only 1,000, making an equal slot distribution inherently unfair. They insisted that this method results in an inequitable system that disregards merit and workload distribution.
Concerns Over Vague List and Possible Malice
The published list, available on TSC’s website, includes only the employment numbers of the promoted teachers. This omission has caused confusion among county-level education officials who are struggling to determine how many of their members have been promoted.
KUPPET officials in Vihiga argue that the vague list could be a deliberate attempt to obscure irregularities within the promotion process.
The teachers’ union is now demanding that TSC republish the list with additional details, including the names of the promoted teachers, their respective counties, and their new designations. They maintain that transparency is essential to ensure fairness in the distribution of promotions across all regions.
Parliamentary Summons and Teacher Promotion Controversy
The National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Education has summoned the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Chief Executive, Nancy Macharia, to appear before it today to address concerns regarding teacher promotions. This follows growing dissatisfaction over the promotion criteria, which many stakeholders claim is unfair.
Tensions escalated after the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association protested against the TSC’s promotion system, alleging it was biased against certain teachers. The school principals petitioned both the commission and the National Assembly, asserting that the quota-based promotion strategy disadvantaged regions with a higher number of qualified teachers.
TSC had advertised vacancies late last year and conducted interviews earlier this year. The results were subsequently published on the TSC website, revealing that 5,690 teachers were promoted following the November 2024 advertisement, while 19,943 teachers benefited from the December listing. Despite these appointments, 381 vacancies remain unfilled.
The National Assembly’s Clerk, Jeremiah Ndombi, in a letter dated March 28, 2025, outlined several issues for deliberation, including TSC’s long-term strategy for ensuring transparency, equity, and merit-based teacher promotions. Other key concerns include regional balance, affirmative action, and financial sustainability.
The committee expects TSC to submit a comprehensive report detailing teacher promotions over the past three years, classified by categories and regions. Compliance with legal frameworks and agreements with teacher unions will also be discussed.
Widespread Dissatisfaction and Calls for Review
The discontent among educators has grown significantly, with many urging a reassessment of the promotion criteria to ensure a fairer process. The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) also expressed dissatisfaction with the methodology used in selecting candidates for advancement.
Just two weeks prior to the release of the promotion results, KESSHA had petitioned both the TSC and the National Assembly, arguing that the quota system employed by the commission was discriminatory.
The principals insisted that the approach disadvantaged regions with a higher number of qualified teachers, ultimately preventing some deserving candidates from progressing in their careers.
With the controversy surrounding the promotions intensifying, calls for reforms in the selection process continue to gain traction among educators and their representatives.
This year, TSC has been allocated Ksh1 billion to facilitate teacher promotions. The commission is preparing for an expected wave of mass retirements between June and August 2025. With these looming retirements, ensuring an efficient and fair promotion process remains critical for maintaining stability in the education sector.
Read Also: Teachers Outcry as TSC Allocates Employment Letters to Politicians
Political Interference and Unfair Practices
Further accusations of political interference in the promotion process have emerged, with the union asserting that certain regions have been favored while others continue to suffer from stagnation due to high competition. The pro-rata policy, which has been in place for years, was also criticized for being unfairly implemented.
KUPPET maintained that political influences have compromised TSC’s independence, enabling external pressures to dictate the distribution of promotions.
The union alleged that promotions were manipulated multiple times to create a perception of fairness. They claimed that teachers in smaller counties received preferential treatment, while those in populous areas were overlooked due to intensified competition.
TSC Promotes 25,000 Teachers as Principals Allege Regional Discrimination.
Follow Teachers Updates on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram. Get in touch with our editors at [email protected].
Discussion about this post