TSC Blocks Online Transfer Portal for Heads, Deputies, and Senior Teachers and Masters
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has officially suspended the online transfer application process for school administrators, including school heads, deputy heads, senior teachers, and masters.
This move is part of a strategic effort by the commission to ensure institutional stability across the country and to align with significant policy changes regarding teacher remuneration and promotions.
End of Online Applications for Heads
According to the commission, the decision to block administrators from the online transfer portal is intended to prevent sudden leadership vacuums that disrupt school operations. Moving forward, transfers for these cadres will be handled administratively.
This means the commission will now initiate and manage the movement of school leaders based on staffing needs and school stability metrics rather than responding to individual teacher-initiated requests.
The July Pay Windfall: Acting Allowances
The suspension of transfers coincides with a major win for educators: the introduction of special duty allowances (commonly known as acting allowances).
Starting after the July 2026 budget, approximately 99,000 teachers currently serving in administrative roles in an acting capacity will begin receiving these payments.
This follows the approval of the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, sponsored by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro.
Key features of the new acting allowance policy include:
- Duration: The acting period is capped at a minimum of 30 days and a maximum of six months.
- Eligibility: A teacher can only act in a position they are qualified for (e.g., a deputy must meet the requirements of a headteacher to act in that role).
- One Role at a Time: Teachers are restricted to acting in only one administrative position at a time.
- Substantive Appointment: After serving in an acting capacity for six months, the position must be substantively filled, effectively pushing the TSC to confirm these teachers in their roles.
Addressing “Exploitation” in Schools
The legislative shift aims to end what lawmakers and unions described as the “exploitation” of teachers. For years, thousands of administrators—including over 3,300 school heads—have performed high-level duties without commensurate pay.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu lauded the Bill, noting that the TSC had previously avoided payments by issuing letters “assigning duties” rather than official “acting appointment” letters.
“It’s popular labor practice that one shouldn’t act for more than six months,” Oyuu stated. “The TSC is in charge of promotions, but it is sub-county directors who often appoint teachers in acting roles without monetary compensation.”
Financial and Regulatory Framework
The new law formalizes a variety of allowances that acting administrators will now qualify for, including:
- House and Commuter Allowances
- Hardship Allowances (for those in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands – ASAL)
- Responsibility and Transfer Allowances
While the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) had previously clashed with the TSC over these payments—with the commission claiming SRC circulars had abolished acting roles—the new Bill mandates the TSC to consult with the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) to facilitate these payments under the Fourth Schedule of the TSC Act.
What This Means for Teachers
For the 99,000 teachers currently “assigned duties,” this development signals an end to unpaid labor and a clearer path to permanent promotion.
For the TSC, the pressure is now on to ensure that whenever promotions are advertised, those already serving in acting capacities are given priority for confirmation, ensuring a more motivated and stable leadership structure in Kenyan schools.