TSC to Proceed with Teacher Promotions, Rejects Calls to Revoke Appointment Letters.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has confirmed that it will not cancel the teacher promotion list released last month, which followed interviews conducted in January and February.
Top TSC officials have affirmed that the process remains unchanged, despite increasing pressure from both the National Assembly and the Senate, which are probing the transparency of the promotions. According to these officials, teachers listed for promotion will begin receiving their appointment letters within the week.
Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised serious concerns regarding the fairness and transparency of the promotion process. Lawmakers questioned why some teachers who had already been promoted in the previous year appeared again on this year’s list.
Some MPs believe the process favored specific individuals unfairly and lacked a clear distribution model. Tiaty MP William Kamket emphasized the need for equity, noting that his constituency had only five promotions out of 25,000 nationally. He questioned the disparity, pointing out that each of the 290 constituencies should have received at least 80 promotions if distributed evenly.
The Senate has escalated the matter, launching a comprehensive investigation into the alleged irregularities. The Senate Education Committee, chaired by Senator Betty Montet, demanded a thorough explanation on the selection of the 25,252 teachers promoted.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka expressed concern over whether principles of merit, fairness, and inclusivity were upheld. He asked why long-serving, qualified teachers were overlooked while younger, less-experienced ones were favored. He also called for clarity on the distribution model, questioning why some densely populated counties received disproportionately fewer promotions.
Corruption Allegations Surface
Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri directly accused certain TSC officials of soliciting bribes from teachers in exchange for career advancement. She pointed out the case of teachers who had served for over 17 years without promotion, while some with only one year of experience were elevated. She went further to describe the TSC leadership as deeply corrupt and called for a complete overhaul to restore public trust.
Okenyuri added that some promoted individuals had questionable qualifications, urging the Senate to investigate possible irregularities in the vetting process.
Senators insisted that the Commission disclose whether a formal appeal mechanism exists for aggrieved teachers. They also demanded the publication of complaints lodged and actions taken to resolve them.
Restoring trust in the TSC, they argued, depends heavily on transparent grievance management. The Senate Committee is expected to summon TSC officials to provide a detailed explanation on the conduct of the promotions and what strategies are in place to deal with widespread teacher stagnation.
When TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia appeared before the National Assembly’s Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC), she explained that the Commission’s inability to promote more teachers was due to budget constraints.
Presenting a report on the TSC’s performance and service delivery challenges, Dr. Macharia warned that the education sector could face a crisis if budgetary allocations were not increased. She noted that while the government allocates Kshs 1 billion annually for promotions, the amount is only enough to promote 6,000 teachers from a pool of over 500,000.
Dr. Macharia’s Plea for Increased Budget
Dr. Macharia made a passionate appeal for additional funds, stating that the Commission needs Kshs 5 billion annually to address teacher stagnation adequately. She acknowledged the lawmakers’ concerns, saying the current budget is a mere drop in the ocean. She explained that in the 2023–2024 financial year, the Kshs 1 billion allocation allowed them to promote 19,943 teachers.
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This year, 25,252 teachers were listed for promotion after attending the January and February interviews. They will receive appointment letters and be deployed to schools with available vacancies.
Despite the harsh criticism from lawmakers, the Commission maintains that it is doing its best within the current budgetary limits. Officials reiterated that they remain committed to enhancing teacher welfare and improving staffing across the country. The TSC has asked Parliament to review its funding policies and adopt a more sustainable model to resolve long-term promotion and deployment issues.
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