TSC to finally release Promotion letters to 25,252 teachers after giving final verdict

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced the promotion of 25,252 teachers after relaxing a key requirement that mandated educators to serve a minimum of three years in one position before advancing.

According to the commission, 5,291 teachers were promoted even though they did not meet the three-year service requirement. Many of these individuals assumed roles as principals and deputy headteachers, where there was a shortage of qualified candidates.

In a statement released on May 22, the commission noted that the number of teachers who fulfilled the three-year requirement in the relevant grades was significantly lower than the number of available positions.

This decision follows the National Assembly’s allocation of Sh1 billion to facilitate promotions, which only addressed 5,690 of the 25,252 vacancies.

The commission reported that 1,410 teachers were promoted to principal positions in Grade D3, while 3,686 were appointed as deputy headteachers in Grade C4. Only 598 teachers had the required service duration for the 1,410 principal roles, while 7,460 were eligible for the 3,686 deputy headteacher positions.

To mitigate the shortfall, the commission temporarily reduced the service requirement to six months in one grade.

The TSC clarified that this waiver was intended to attract more candidates and resolve the ongoing issue of teachers in acting positions. “This policy decision helped ensure that the vacancies were filled competitively, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where recruitment and retention have been challenging,” the commission stated.

Of the 5,291 teachers promoted without the three-year requirement, 3,427 were assigned to the key administrative roles of principal and deputy headteacher.

The commission has requested that all teachers promoted under this temporary measure be retained, emphasizing that the waiver was crucial for addressing significant staffing shortages.

Looking forward, the commission plans to create and share standardized promotion guidelines, incorporating feedback from teachers, unions, and other stakeholders. The new framework will adhere to constitutional principles such as equity, inclusiveness, and non-discrimination.

“The commission is dedicated to ensuring fair and accountable processes in future promotions,” the statement concluded.

There has been ongoing debate regarding the promotion criteria used for teachers, with Members of Parliament strongly criticizing the Commission. However, with the Commission’s final decision on the promotions, teachers can now feel relieved. The promotion letters that have already been prepared will be sent to counties for collection by the successful candidates. The TSC is expected to release the final promotions list after removing 1,864 teachers from the initial list and making appropriate replacements.