TSC rolls out plan to ensure uniformity in teacher promotions

Teachers Service Commission Secretary Nancy Macharia says new promotion guidelines to ensure a fair and transparent process. [File, Standard]

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced plans to develop promotion guidelines that will clearly outline standardised criteria and procedures. TSC Secretary Nancy Macharia, informed the National Assembly Committee on Education that the new framework would ensure a fair, transparent, and accountable promotion process.

This announcement follows concerns over the recent promotion of 5,291 teachers who had not served the mandatory three years in their current grades, as stipulated in the Career Progression Guidelines.

Dr Macharia explained that the three-year requirement had been waived in some cases to promote fairness and address historical staffing challenges, including acting appointments and underrepresentation in marginalised regions. She noted that an analysis conducted by the Commission prior to advertising promotion vacancies revealed a shortage of qualified applicants in specific counties.

For instance, in the case of Grade D3 (Principal), there were insufficient teachers in Grade D2 who had served the requisite three years. As a result, the experience requirement was reduced to six months nationwide. Similarly, for the Deputy Principal III (D1) position, the requirement was waived for 18 counties including Migori, Narok, Busia, and Mandera.

In response to criticism from MPs, who claimed the process was biased, the TSC was given seven days to provide a comprehensive report.

Dr Macharia also revealed plans to automate the promotion process via the teachers' online system, allowing for digital applications, shortlisting, interview feedback, and issuance of promotion letters. This, she said, would eliminate human error and improve transparency.

The Commission has also introduced a standardised interview scoring system, considering factors such as performance appraisals, leadership experience, age, and academic contribution.

Additionally, a predictable promotion policy now allows automatic progression for teachers in common cadre grades, provided they meet the three-year service requirement and maintain satisfactory performance.

The TSC further committed to progressive promotion in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), where many teachers serve in lower grades while performing administrative roles, without appropriate recognition or allowances. The Commission aims to align these teachers' grades with their responsibilities through affirmative action measures.