The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is hastening its process to confirm school administrators in various primary and secondary schools.
The Commission is struggling to fix the numerous gaps created by many school administrators who left and are still leaving the service as a result of retirement and other factors.
Currently at least 3,000 primary school teachers are running without proper school administrators. In some of the schools, a headteacher is lacking and only a deputy is acting instead while others do not even have a deputy but a senior teacher.
Primary school teachers in grade C4 and are in acting capacity as school heads are on their way to head the schools in latest plan by the Commission which targets to fill the vacant posts by December.
In areas classified as Asal (Arid and Semi Arid Lands) and Hard to Staff the Commission has directed the teachers in acting capacity to be confirmed on affirmative action.
An example of promotion on affirmative action is when a primary school teacher acting as Senior Teacher but still in Grade C1 is promoted to Grade C2 where senior teachers belong even if he/she lacks a Diploma which is a requirement to be a Senior Teacher besides other requirements.
In primary school teachers acting as Senior Teachers, Deputy Headteachers and Headteachers will be promoted despite lacking all requirements as outlined in the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG).
However for teachers in other regions the teachers must have served in their current acting position for at least three years to be considered for promotion besides having the required qualifications.
In addition the teachers must have been actively involved in filling and submitting their termly Teacher Performance Appraisal Development (TPAD) ratings besides having no previous disciplinary case.
TSC through circular number 14/2021 said promotions of teachers shall be in accordance with the Career Progression Guidelines in force.
The Commission further said teachers serving in ASAL and hard to staff areas and are holding administrative positions in an acting capacity shall be promoted progressively until they obtain grades commensurate to their respective positions.
In the CBA 2021 – 2025 the Commission listed the following areas as the official ASAL and Hard to staff areas;
1) Baringo North; Tiaty East, Tiaty West and Marigat sub-counties in Baringo County.
2) Garissa County
3) Suba and Mbita sub-counties in Homa Bay County
4) Isiolo County
5) Mashuuru, Loitoktok and Kajiado West sub-counties in Kajiado County
6) Kwale County
7) Magarini and Ganze in Kilifi County
8) Lamu County
9) Mandera County
10) Marsabit County
11)Mumoni, Mutito North and Tseikuru sub-counties in Kitui County
12) Narok South and Narok North sub-counties in Narok County
13) Samburu County
14) Taita Taveta County
15) Tana River County
16) Turkana County
17) Wajir County
18) West Pokot County
After signing of the CBA 2021 – 2025 on 13th July 2021 between teachers unions and TSC, the Commission in the CBA said that promotion of teachers in Asal and Hard to Staff will be progressive.
“Promotions of Teachers shall be in accordance with the Career Progression Guidelines in force however teachers serving in ASAL and hard to staff areas and are holding administrative positions in an acting capacity shall be promoted progressively until they obtain grades commensurate to their respective positions,” reads the CBA.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) secretary general, Collins Oyuu, congratulated TSC after signing of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) 2021 – 2025.
Oyuu clarified that what TSC has done is to list the hard to staff areas and maintained that they are putting administrators on acting capacity regardless of their grade, who will continue to serve in those administrative positions in the hard to staff areas until they attain their respective grades for confirmation.
“Those areas are hardship but hard to staff, meaning, even positions of Headtechers and Deputies nobody is ready to be there, and those who are there are not even qualified for those positions in terms of what we have in the CBA,” said Oyuu.
“They are promoted to act in those positions because those areas are hard to staff and nobody is willing to go there,” he added.
Oyuu added that what TSC is looking at is the interest an individual teacher has in line with serving under acting capacity of administration in those areas prior to ones grade until when the teacher attains the full grade of administrator for full confirmations of the position the teacher was acting before.
In September last year TSC advertised mass recruitment of school administrators for primary and secondary schools and teacher training colleges as well as field officers.
They included Principal, Deputy Principal II and III, Curriculum Support Officer I and II, Senior Lecture I and II, Senior Master II, III and IV, Secondary Teacher I and II, Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher I and II, Senior Teacher I and II, Primary Teacher I.
Applicants were required to upload the following documents during application;
a) Letter of appointment to the current grade
b) Letter of appointment to the current responsibility
c) Certificate of good conduct from Directorate of Criminal Investigations
d) Clearance certificate by Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)
e) Clearance application from Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission
f) Clearance certificate from a Credit Reference Bureau (CRB)
g) Tax compliance certificate from Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA)
However following a Bill that was sponsored by former Jubilee nominated MP Gideon Keter Kenyans applying for government jobs will no longer be required to produce clearance certificates from KRA, Helb, DCI, CRB and the EACC until or unless an employment offer is guaranteed.
APPENDIX 1: BASIC SALARY
| Grade | TSC Scale | Basic Pay Minimum | Basic Pay Maximum | No. of Notches |
| B5 | 5 | 21,756 | 27,195 | 6 |
| C1 | 6 | 27,195 | 33,994 | 6 |
| C2 | 7 | 34,955 | 43,694 | 6 |
| C3 | 8 | 43,154 | 53,943 | 6 |
| C4 | 9 | 52,308 | 65,385 | 7 |
| C5 | 10 | 62,272 | 77,840 | 7 |
| D1 | 11 | 77,840 | 93,408 | 7 |
| D2 | 12 | 91,041 | 109,249 | 7 |
| D3 | 13 | 104,644 | 125,573 | 7 |
| D4 | 14 | 118,242 | 141,891 | 7 |
| D5 | 15 | 131,380 | 157,656 | 7 |
APPENDIX 2: COMMUTER ALLOWANCE
| Grade | TSC Scale | Commuter Allowance p.m |
| B5 | 5 | 4,000 |
| C1 | 6 | 4,000 |
| C2 | 7 | 5,000 |
| C3 | 8 | 6,000 |
| C4 | 9 | 8,000 |
| C5 | 10 | 8,000 |
| D1 | 11 | 12,000 |
| D2 | 12 | 12,000 |
| D3 | 13 | 14,000 |
| D4 | 14 | 14,000 |
| D5 | 15 | 16,000 |
APPENDIX 3: DISABILITY GUIDE ALLOWANCE
| Grade | TSC Scale | Disability Guide Allowance p.m |
| B5 | 5 | 20,000 |
| C1 | 6 | 20,000 |
| C2 | 7 | 20,000 |
| C3 | 8 | 20,000 |
| C4 | 9 | 20,000 |
| C5 | 10 | 20,000 |
| D1 | 11 | 20,000 |
| D2 | 12 | 20,000 |
| D3 | 13 | 20,000 |
| D4 | 14 | 20,000 |
| D5 | 15 | 20,000 |
APPENDIX 4: LEAVE ALLOWANCE
| Grade | TSC Scale | Annual Leave Allowance p.m |
| B5 | 5 | 4,000 |
| C1 | 6 | 4,000 |
| C2 | 7 | 6,000 |
| C3 | 8 | 6,000 |
| C4 | 9 | 6,000 |
| cs | 10 | 6,000 |
| D1 | 11 | 10,000 |
| D2 | 12 | 10,000 |
| D3 | 13 | 10,000 |
| D4 | 14 | 10,000 |
| D5 | 15 | 10,000 |
APPENDIX 5: HOUSE ALLOWANCE
| Grade | TSC Scale | Hse1 Nairobi | Hse2 -Major Municipalities- Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Thika, Kisii and Kitale | Hse3 -Other former Minor Municipalities | Hse4 – alI other areas |
| BS | 5 | 6,750 | 4,500 | 3,850 | 3,200 |
| C1 | 6 | 10,000 | 7,500 | 5,800 | 4,200 |
| C2 | 7 | 16,500 | 12,800 | 9,600 | 7,500 |
| C3 | 8 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 | 13,000 |
| C4 | 9 | 28,000 | 22,000 | 16,500 | 13,000 |
| C5 | 10 | 35,000 | 25,500 | 18,000 | 15,400 |
| D1 | 11 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 16,800 |
| D2 | 12 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 16,800 |
| D3 | 13 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 16,800 |
| D4 | 14 | 45,000 | 28,000 | 21,000 | 16,800 |
| D5 | 15 | 50,000 | 35,000 | 25,000 | 20,000 |
APPENDIX 6:HARDSHIP ALLOWANCE
| Grade | TSC Scale | Hardship Allowance p.m |
| B5 | 5 | 6,600 |
| C1 | 6 | 8,200 |
| C2 | 7 | 10,900 |
| C3 | 8 | 12,300 |
| C4 | 9 | 14,650 |
| C5 | 10 | 17,100 |
| D1 | 11 | 27,300 |
| D2 | 12 | 27,300 |
| D3 | 13 | 31,500 |
| D4 | 14 | 31,500 |
| D5 | 15 | 38,100 |