The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has activated first term appraisals known as Teacher Performance Appraisal Development (TPAD).
Teachers are required to create and start to take first term appraisals. Schools heads are required to fill and submit their termly Performance Contract (PC) to the TSC Sub County Directors.
TPAD tool which was launched ten years ago enables the Commission to monitor teachers work for action including for promotion purposes.
TSC has previously warned teachers against rushing to fill TPAD in disregard of the TPAD calendar of activities which offer comprehensive guidelines.
Commission officials have also introduced slight amendment with teachers required to avail scores for specific learning areas instead of whole.
For example a teacher teaching Creative Arts and Sports will be required to submit separate scores for Art and Craft, Music and PE.
TSC is also planning to review and upgrade the Teacher Evaluation Tools to align them to the existing education and technology changes.
These tools include Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD), Performance Contracting (PC) and Lesson Observation Tool.
Over a year ago the Commission identified nine counties i.e. Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Meru, Baringo, Kajiado, Garissa and Vihiga for piloting the proposed revision and upgrades.
In September 2024, a technical team comprising of officers for TSC Headquarters, visited the Pilot Counties to collect data from teachers, deputy and heads of institutions on TPAD teaching standards, PC criteria and Lesson Observation Standards.
The Commission then concretized the proposed revisions and upgrades through trials in real classroom and school environment. The trials were carried out from 17th to 21st March 2025.
The new TPAD tool an upgrade from the TPAD 2 is now known as TPAD 3 with a number of changes integrated to enhance monitoring and performance.
In the new TPAD 3 portal the teaching standards have been reduced from 5 to 4. The TPAD link will change from tpad2.tsc.ke to portal.tsc.go.ke.
The new TPAD 3 is not yet activated. The four new TPAD teaching standards will now involve
🪀 Effective curriculum delivery
🪀Comprehensive leaner centred environment
🪀Integration of technology in teaching and learning
🪀Teacher professional growth and development.
As noticed under teacher professional growth and development, on the last target, a teacher must maintain appropriate grooming in the learning environment which has a maximum of 4 point.
Under a comprehensive learner environment, a teacher must be able to facilitate games and sports and creative arts activities.
Two Teacher Professional Development (TPD) modules where one will be paid by the employer (TSC) and the other paid by the teacher would earn one differently towards promotion.
TPAD which is an open appraisal system allows teachers in primary and secondary schools to participate in evaluating their own performance and initiate their professional development.
Through the appraisal and development system, TSC aims to empower teachers to regain the lost glory of the teaching profession and public confidence and support.
TSC uses TPAD to promote its teachers. During promotion interviews teachers must download and produce evidence of three year TPAD compliance for them to be considered.
TPAD CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES AT THE INSTITUTION LEVEL
| TPAD Activity | Action By | Time Frame | |
| 1. | Planning meetings before school opening involving all staff to set school TPAD Activity calendar | Heads of Institutions , Senior Management Team, Teachers, | By the last week of the school holiday. |
| 2. | Submission of professional documents | Heads of institution All Teachers | By the end of the first week of the term |
| 3. | Undertaking lesson observations and identifying and documenting teacher’s professional gaps | Appraisees and appraisers. | Between 2nd week and 10th week of the term |
| 4. | Undertaking teacher professional development to address professional gaps. | Appraisees, appraisers, institutional administrators. | Throughout the term; from 1st week to the last week of the term |
| 5. | Internal Monitoring and Evaluation of the implementation of TPAD process. | Heads of institution, Deputy Head of Institution, Heads of Department | Continuous throughout the term |
| 6. | Monitoring the implementation of TPAD process at county level; zonal, sub county & county | Curriculum Support Officers, Sub County Directors and County Directors | Throughout the term; from 1st week to the last week of the term |
| 7. | TPAD rating meetings | Appraisee (teachers) and appraiser (HODs, deputy heads, Heads of Institution, CSOs, SCD) | By the closing date of the term |
| 8. | Uploading of TPAD data and evidence. | Appraisee (teachers) and appraiser (HODs, deputy heads, Heads of Institution, CSOs, SCD) | Throughout the term |