Teachers countrywide are gripped in fear after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) lowered the requirements for promotion of school administrators.

Teachers are afraid that the upcoming promotion interviews will not be fair after the Commission set the minimum period for acting in administration position to be six months.

Previously teachers were required to have acted for at least eight years, TSC then lowered this to three years during last years promotion interviews.

The Commission has now lowered this further to six months in the recent promotion advert it released.

Teachers have raised concern that this will open doors for corruption as it will be used to lock out more deserving teachers who have served for long period in their current position.

However TSC has been defending this move saying its a reaction to a new law that requires one to serve in acting capacity for a maximum of six months after which they must be confirmed or compensated with a special allowance.

Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu expressed concern that many educators have served in acting capacities for periods far exceeding the legally stipulated six months.

“We have school heads and deputies who have been acting for over three years. These individuals must be prioritised,” said Oyuu. 

Initially TSC had proposed special duty allowances for acting school heads and deputies as compensation for their additional responsibilities.

In January, the commission informed Parliament’s Education Committee that negotiations with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) were complete and budgetary provisions for the allowance were being explored.

However, the new development prioritises substantive appointments over allowances.

While appearing before Parliament, TSC chief executive Dr Nancy Macharia attributed the reliance on acting school heads to a shortage of qualified teachers for leadership positions.

“Teachers are only deployed on acting capacity where the commission lacks qualified teachers with the requisite grade and experience for substantive appointment,” said Macharia.

She said the government has been establishing new schools but does not provide a budget for the promotion of teachers to head the new schools, thus the commission is forced to rely on acting administrators.

TSC is now planning to confirm deputy headteachers of primary schools and deputy principals of secondary schools as well as their seniors who have acted as heads of institutions (HOI’s) and deputies for at least six months.

The Commission had on 17th December declared a total of 19,943 promotion slots for teachers to apply online.

TSC has invited teachers from primary to post primary institutions to apply online for the promotion vacancies.

TSC has given qualified teachers till the midnight of 30^th December, 2024 to place an application.

TSC data shows at least 3,300 school heads and deputies are currently serving in acting capacities.

The commission plans to confirm the teachers and place them to their new roles starting January. This is after it was allocated sh1 billion for teacher promotions.

At least 3,359 public schools are lacking a head of institution. Data from TSC show that 1,918 primary schools lack a headteacher while 1,441 secondary schools lack a principal.

TSC blames shortage of teachers qualified to head schools as well as many new schools registered that creates more complication.

Teachers countrywide are gripped in fear after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) lowered the requirements for promotion of school administrators.

Teachers are afraid that the upcoming promotion interviews will not be fair after the Commission set the minimum period for acting in administration position to be six months.

Previously teachers were required to have acted for at least eight years, TSC then lowered this to three years during last years promotion interviews.

The Commission has now lowered this further to six months in the recent promotion advert it released.

Teachers have raised concern that this will open doors for corruption as it will be used to lock out more deserving teachers who have served for long period in their current position.

However TSC has been defending this move saying its a reaction to a new law that requires one to serve in acting capacity for a maximum of six months after which they must be confirmed or compensated with a special allowance.

Knut Secretary-General Collins Oyuu expressed concern that many educators have served in acting capacities for periods far exceeding the legally stipulated six months.

“We have school heads and deputies who have been acting for over three years. These individuals must be prioritised,” said Oyuu. 

Initially TSC had proposed special duty allowances for acting school heads and deputies as compensation for their additional responsibilities.

In January, the commission informed Parliament’s Education Committee that negotiations with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) were complete and budgetary provisions for the allowance were being explored.

However, the new development prioritises substantive appointments over allowances.

While appearing before Parliament, TSC chief executive Dr Nancy Macharia attributed the reliance on acting school heads to a shortage of qualified teachers for leadership positions.

“Teachers are only deployed on acting capacity where the commission lacks qualified teachers with the requisite grade and experience for substantive appointment,” said Macharia.

She said the government has been establishing new schools but does not provide a budget for the promotion of teachers to head the new schools, thus the commission is forced to rely on acting administrators.

TSC is now planning to confirm deputy headteachers of primary schools and deputy principals of secondary schools as well as their seniors who have acted as heads of institutions (HOI’s) and deputies for at least six months.

The Commission had on 17th December declared a total of 19,943 promotion slots for teachers to apply online.

TSC has invited teachers from primary to post primary institutions to apply online for the promotion vacancies.

TSC has given qualified teachers till the midnight of 30^th December, 2024 to place an application.

TSC data shows at least 3,300 school heads and deputies are currently serving in acting capacities.

The commission plans to confirm the teachers and place them to their new roles starting January. This is after it was allocated sh1 billion for teacher promotions.

At least 3,359 public schools are lacking a head of institution. Data from TSC show that 1,918 primary schools lack a headteacher while 1,441 secondary schools lack a principal.

TSC blames shortage of teachers qualified to head schools as well as many new schools registered that creates more complication.