Controversy Surrounds Promotion Criteria for 25,000 Teachers

Controversy Surrounds Promotion Criteria for 25,000 Teachers

Secondary school principals have reached out to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to voice their concerns regarding a promotion criterion they believe is unfair to certain educators.

The principals, through the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (Kessha), have submitted a petition to the TSC and the National Assembly, arguing that the employer’s quota system for teacher promotions disadvantages areas with a higher concentration of qualified teachers.

This petition pertains to interviews conducted in January 2025 for 19,943 promotional positions announced by the TSC at the end of the previous year.

According to the letter signed by Kessha Chairman Willy Kuria, a quota-based system could result in teachers from certain regions being unfairly disadvantaged, as it limits opportunities for qualified teachers in areas with a greater number of deserving candidates. This system tends to favor candidates from regions with fewer qualified teachers, even if they have less experience and lower performance ratings.

Kuria mentioned that the association approached the National Assembly Education Committee after not receiving a response from the TSC. He claimed that in some regions, the TSC invited teachers for interviews who had not completed the required six months in the same job group.

“We obtained this information from county directors, and when we raised our concerns with the TSC, they did not dispute it. This situation primarily benefits ASAL areas,” Kuria stated.

He also pointed out that teachers who applied for promotions to Job Group Deputy D2 and below (deputy principal II – secondary school) were neither shortlisted nor invited for interviews, despite meeting the necessary criteria.

“Interestingly, this discrepancy occurred in some regions, while in others, the six-month requirement was enforced, allowing those teachers to be shortlisted. This results in significant advantages for some regions while severely disadvantaging others, which can be seen as marginalizing certain areas,” Kuria explained.

He cautioned that if this trend continues unchecked, it could lead to some teachers remaining stagnant in their job groups due to the geographical locations where they are assigned to work.

The petition emphasizes that promotional interviews should prioritize merit, experience, and individual accomplishments. The implementation of a regional quota system undermines these principles by promoting teachers based on their geographic location.

Kuria urged the commission to explore alternative methods for fostering inclusivity and diversity.

“We call on the TSC to clearly outline the criteria and qualifications required and to adhere to them, to prevent giving applicants a false sense of hope,” he stated.

The promotion of teachers has been a challenge for the commission due to budget constraints, resulting in many educators remaining in the same job groups for extended periods.