TSC Seeks Increased Funding to Resolve Teacher Promotion Bottleneck

TSC Seeks Increased Funding to Resolve Teacher Promotion Bottleneck.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has urged Members of Parliament to provide increased funding to support the promotion of teachers, highlighting that limited budgetary allocations have severely constrained its ability to advance educators in their careers.

The Commission indicated that this financial shortfall has significantly affected its capacity to fulfill its constitutional mandate effectively.

During a session with the National Assembly Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), the Commission reported its continued struggle to promote a sufficient number of teachers due to the persistent underfunding.

Although the government currently allocates Kshs. 1 billion annually for teacher promotions, this amount only enables the promotion of approximately 6,000 teachers out of a workforce exceeding 500,000. TSC emphasized that this shortfall has a direct negative impact on morale and service delivery in schools.

The Commission warned that an educational crisis is likely unless Parliament increases the annual budget for teacher promotions and deployment. The current allocation, described as a drop in the ocean, has left thousands of eligible teachers in stagnation.

TSC noted that to effectively address the backlog and promote deserving teachers, it requires an annual allocation of Kshs. 5 billion.

Promotion Statistics and Recent Developments

In the 2023–2024 financial year, TSC promoted 19,943 teachers following the allocation of Kshs. 1 billion. Furthermore, 25,252 teachers who attended interviews in January and February 2025 were successfully promoted, with appointment letters expected to be issued by the end of the month. These teachers will be deployed to schools with existing vacancies.

Members of Parliament questioned the equity and transparency in the promotion process, citing disparities in the distribution of promoted teachers across constituencies.

Read Also: TSC Advises TTCs to Stop Primary Teacher Enrollments

For instance, some areas reportedly received as few as five promotions, which was viewed as disproportionate given the national figures. Legislators argued that a fair distribution would yield at least 80 promotions per constituency if done equitably.

In response to the lawmakers’ concerns, the Commission reiterated its commitment to improving the welfare of teachers despite operating within financial limitations.

It identified promotion delays, staffing imbalances, and challenges in health insurance implementation as outcomes of inadequate funding. TSC called on Parliament to review existing policies and consider long-term solutions to ensure sustainable and efficient teacher management.

TSC Seeks Increased Funding to Resolve Teacher Promotion Bottleneck.

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