New Details Emerge Regarding Behind Closed Door Meeting Concerning Teacher Promotions

New Details Emerge Regarding Behind Closed Door Meeting Concerning TSC Teacher Promotions

In Summary:

– A high-level, closed-door meeting took place with officials from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) in Nairobi.
– The meeting addressed frustrations from educators about career advancement issues.
– KNUT, led by Secretary-General Collins Oyuu, pushed for prompt action on the backlog of promotions.
– Oyuu presented a list of thousands of teachers who have not advanced despite higher qualifications and good performance.
– TSC officials cited budget constraints and vetting issues as reasons for delays but promised a plan by the end of the term.
– The meeting discussed revising the promotion framework for better inclusivity and transparency.
– Insiders described discussions as tense but promising, with plans to reconvene in two weeks.
– There is escalating pressure from teachers’ unions for resolution, with warnings of potential industrial action.

How TSC Promotions Were Distributed

– Machakos County: Highest promotions (690).
– Garissa County: Lowest promotions (303).
– Teacher Service Commission (TSC) data revealed small promotions variances across counties.
– List of vacancies and distribution was submitted to the Education Committee but was rejected by the National Assembly.
– MPs required TSC to provide clear criteria for promotions by the following Thursday.
– A list of 25,252 accepted teacher promotions was released on April 2, 2025.
– The list faced backlash due to perceived unfairness in distribution.
– Education Committee accused TSC of opaque criteria and inequity in promotions.
– MP Julius Melly raised concerns about unequal promotions, asking how some teachers received multiple promotions while others stagnated for over a decade.
– The committee will investigate multiple promotions of newly hired teachers.
– MPs seek data on teachers’ years of service before promotions.
– TSC CEO Nancy Macharia defended the promotion process as compliant with regulations.
– Teachers’ unions demanded the retraction of the promotion list due to inequitable distribution.
– TSC provided data showing 5,291 promotions under affirmative action for FY 2024-2025.
– Promotions occurred across nine grades, with C4 and C5 receiving the most teachers promoted.
– Criticism from Kuppet’s Moses Nthurima pointed out unfair distribution, noting some teachers waited years while others were promoted after just six months.

New details have come to light regarding a high-level, closed-door meeting involving senior officials from the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and representatives from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) concerning the ongoing crisis related to teacher promotions.

The meeting, conducted in Nairobi last week, aimed to address the increasing frustrations expressed by educators who feel marginalized in matters of career advancement.

Sources knowledgeable about the discussions disclosed that KNUT, under the leadership of Secretary-General Collins Oyuu, advocated for immediate measures to resolve the backlog of outstanding promotions.

Oyuu reportedly submitted a list of thousands of teachers who have remained in the same job group for numerous years despite having achieved higher qualifications and demonstrated exemplary performance.

TSC officials allegedly attributed the delays to budgetary constraints and internal vetting challenges, but they assured that a comprehensive plan would be presented by the conclusion of the current term.

The meeting also considered the potential revision of the existing promotion framework to enhance its inclusivity and transparency.

While no formal agreement was established, insiders characterized the discussions as “tense but promising,” with both parties consenting to reconvene in two weeks.

This meeting occurs amidst escalating pressure from teachers’ unions and warnings of industrial action should the promotion impasse not be resolved swiftly.

How TSC Promotions Were Distributed

Machakos County recorded the highest number of teacher promotions (690), while Garissa County had the lowest (303) number advancing in the latest round of promotions, which was rejected by the National Assembly.

An examination of the promotional data from the Teacher Service Commission (TSC) reveals that the positions were distributed with minor variations across the counties, regardless of the size or number of applicants from each county.

The list, which was submitted to the Education Committee of the National Assembly, outlines the number of vacancies available across various job grades and the distribution to each county.

However, the Members of Parliament (MPs) dismissed the list last week and instructed the TSC to present detailed criteria on how the promotions were conducted by Thursday of the following week.

The commission released the list of 25,252 teachers whose applications for various promotional positions were accepted on April 2, 2025.

Nonetheless, the list incited immediate outrage from education stakeholders, with a faction of MPs and teachers’ unions rejecting it due to perceived unfairness.

The Education Committee, chaired by Julius Melly (Tinderet, UDA), accused the TSC of employing an opaque promotion criterion and failing to uphold the principles of equity.

They contended that the promotions disproportionately favored certain regions while neglecting deserving candidates in other areas. Mr. Melly questioned the rationale behind what seemed to be a uniform distribution of promotions across counties, noting that it diverged from previous practices and overlooked population dynamics.

“How can an individual be promoted three times consecutively while others have remained stagnant in one job group for over a decade? ” Mr. Melly inquired. Mr. Melly asserted that some teachers had received multiple promotions in a short span while overlooking other deserving candidates with greater experience.
On Friday, he informed this reporter that the committee will examine instances of multiple promotions of newly hired teachers to the detriment of others who have been shortlisted, interviewed, but have not been promoted over the years.

The Members of Parliament seek information indicating the number of years teachers have served in specific job grades prior to promotion. While appearing before the Committee on Education, TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia defended the process, asserting that it is legally grounded and decentralised to guarantee regional representation.

“Aligning promotion policies with legal and regulatory frameworks: The promotion process consistently complies with Regulation 73 of the Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT), the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), and the Policy on Selection and Appointment of Institutional Administrators,” she stated.

Teachers’ unions demanded that the commission retract the published list of promoted teachers, citing the inequitable distribution of opportunities among counties.

However, in its defence, the TSC provided data illustrating the figures for common cadre promotions and those promoted under the affirmative action for the 2024 – 2025 Financial Year, during which 5,291 teachers were promoted across all 47 counties. For instance, the leading counties benefiting from the programme are Isiolo (282), Lamu (280), and Mandera (270). Counties that received the fewest promotions under the programme are Kiambu (46) as well as Nairobi and Murang’a (63 each), Elgeyo Marakwet and Laikipia (64 each).

The promotions encompass nine different grades, ranging from C2 to D5. The largest number of promotions occurred within grades C4 and C5, with 8,508 and 5,425 teachers promoted respectively. This was succeeded by 4,971 to grade C3, 2,519 to D1, 1,445 to C2, and 1,410 to D3.

The higher executive levels, although fewer in number, witnessed 799 teachers promoted to D2, 128 to D4, and 47 to D5, indicating advancement in enhancing senior leadership in schools. The acting Secretary General of the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), Moses Nthurima, has criticized the TSC for what he characterizes as unjust distribution and promotion of teachers across counties.

“Certain regions have been disadvantaged. If the 25,000 slots were not allocated proportionally based on the number of teachers per county, it implies that counties with larger teacher populations are suffering. One can envision that those individuals who have stagnated for years will be overlooked. Meanwhile, in some counties, they promoted teachers who have only served for six months, while in others, teachers who have served for over ten years were disregarded,” he conveyed to news reporters.