TSC’s 25,000 Teacher Promotions: A Step Forward or Just Another Unfair Distribution?
In April 2025, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) announced the promotion of 25,252 teachers throughout Kenya. This announcement followed a large turnout of applicants, with more than 189,000 teachers competing for the limited openings, underscoring the fierce competition and demand for career progression in the field of education.
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia defended the promotion process, asserting that it complied with legal standards and was decentralized to guarantee regional representation. Nevertheless, the distribution has ignited controversy. For example, Machakos County received 690 promotions, whereas Garissa County obtained only 303, raising concerns regarding the fairness of the distribution.
Members of Parliament and teacher unions have expressed worries about the process’s transparency. They contend that certain teachers have been promoted multiple times in rapid succession, while others have languished in the same job group for over ten years. This situation has prompted calls for TSC to furnish detailed criteria for the promotions and to rectify the inequities.
While it’s praiseworthy that TSC is tackling career stagnation, the existing promotion process seems to lack both transparency and fairness. The significant inequalities among counties and the recurrent promotions of specific individuals indicate a need for a more just system. Teachers who have devoted many years to their careers merit recognition and chances for advancement.
What are your views on this matter? Do you think the promotion process was equitable?