P1 teachers want TSC to recognize their degrees, deploy them

Primary school teachers holding various diploma and degree certificates are urging the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to acknowledge their qualifications for deployment to junior schools. The TSC has recently initiated a process to assign P1 teachers to teach Grades 7, 8, and 9. However, the Commission has set strict criteria for those wishing to be promoted to these junior classes.

For the deployment, the TSC requires practicing PTE teachers to possess a degree in secondary education, with a minimum grade of C+ in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) and at least C+ in two teaching subjects. This poses a significant challenge for many P1 teachers who have pursued further education and received various qualifications.

Those impacted and excluded from the deployment include primary school teachers with:

• A degree in secondary education with at least C+ in two teaching subjects and a C in KCSE but lacking a diploma in secondary education.
• A degree in primary education with C+ and above in KCSE.
• Diploma certificates in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE).

These teachers have voiced their frustrations after investing substantial amounts in their education, only to find their qualifications disregarded by the TSC. Currently, only teachers with degrees in secondary education and those with diplomas in Special Needs Education (SNE) are being promoted.

Although the TSC initially indicated that teachers with various diplomas and degrees would be promoted to teach in junior secondary schools, it later reversed this decision. Previously, the TSC automatically promoted teachers upon submission of their academic certificates, issuing acknowledgment letters that led to changes in job groups and salary scales. However, in January 2014, the TSC eliminated the automatic promotion scheme and replaced it with Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), resulting in widespread job stagnation.

Promotions are no longer based solely on academic qualifications; instead, the TSC utilizes tools like the Teacher Professional Appraisal Development (TPAD) for promotions. Retired TSC CEO Nancy Macharia stated that performance will be a critical factor in teacher promotions.

The TSC is finalizing the rollout of Teacher Professional Development (TPD) in December this year, hoping it will alleviate promotion-related concerns. Currently, a document verification process is underway for over 3,000 shortlisted teachers. Although the TSC aimed to deploy 6,000 PTE teachers to junior secondary schools, only 3,693 applications were received.

The online application process for qualified P1 teachers opened on January 13. The deployment of primary school teachers to junior secondary schools is part of the TSC’s promotion strategy to tackle job stagnation. The TSC has indicated a need for 72,422 teachers to address the shortage in junior secondary schools, with the current deficit standing at 98,261 teachers for both junior and senior secondary levels, which will commence next year. Overall, the TSC requires 149,350 teachers for Grades 7, 8, and 9.

Currently, the TSC has employed 76,928 teachers in junior secondary, accounting for 51.5% of the needed workforce. This includes 48,550 junior school teachers on permanent and pensionable terms and 8,378 P1 teachers deployed to junior secondary schools in 2023 and 2024. The government has allocated 4.8 billion shillings for the TSC to recruit 20,000 junior secondary teachers on internship contracts in January.

In a statement, the TSC outlined the vetting process for applicant teachers. The Commission has received 3,693 requests from qualified primary school teachers for deployment to junior schools. The following guidelines were issued for the deployment process:

A) Qualifications

Primary school teachers seeking deployment to junior schools must be qualified to teach in secondary schools and meet the following criteria:

– Active registration as a teacher with the TSC.
– Employment as a primary school teacher with the TSC.
– Not currently under interdiction or facing disciplinary action.
– A minimum of a Diploma in Education with at least C+ in KCSE (or its equivalent) and C+ in two teaching subjects offered in the school curriculum (under either the 8-4-4 system or Competency-Based Education) or two principal passes and one subsidiary pass at A-Level.
– Those with a minimum of C (plain) at KCSE (or its equivalent) who have completed a Diploma in Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education qualify.
– Holders of a Bachelor of Education (Primary Option) are not eligible.
– Must have expressed interest in being deployed to Junior Secondary School and appear on the list provided from Headquarters.

B) Vetting

Sub-County Directors are to invite candidates for document verification. Candidates must present the following during verification:

– Original and copy of the degree/diploma certificate.
– Original and copies of official academic transcripts.
– Original and copy of SNE qualification (if applicable).
– Original and copy of the KCSE certificate (or its equivalent).
– A copy of the current payslip.
– A declaration from the Head of Institution confirming that the teacher is currently serving in the school and is not under interdiction or disciplinary action.

C) Documents to be submitted to TSC Headquarters

After the vetting process, the following documents must be submitted to the Director of Staffing by County Directors/Regional Directors in Nairobi:

– Minutes from the Sub-County meeting held to verify the documents of all applicants, signed by the Sub-County Staffing Chairperson and Secretary.
– Minutes from the County meeting verifying the Sub-County list of all applicants vetted, signed by the County Director Chairperson and Secretary.
– A list of all vetted teachers with STATUS and REMARKS columns duly filled out.

The remarks column should provide justification for each teacher’s status, e.g., if a teacher is Not Qualified, indicate the reason, such as having a C- in KCSE. The verified list should be submitted in an editable MS Excel format to the Director of Staffing via [email protected] by June 20, 2025.

Note: Vetted documents of successful applicants for each sub-county should be securely kept by the Sub-County Directors until further instructions are provided. No changes should be made to the provided list except for filling in the status and remarks columns.