TSC Seeks Sh3 Billion to Promote Over 178,000 Stagnant Teachers

• Apr 16, 2025

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced that it requires Sh3 billion to promote over 178,000 primary and secondary school teachers who have been stuck in the same job groups for years. TSC Chief Executive Officer, Nancy Macharia, addressed the National Assembly Education Committee on Tuesday, explaining that underfunding has been a key factor behind the prolonged stagnation of teachers' careers.

Macharia highlighted that the lack of sufficient budgetary support has hampered the implementation of career progression guidelines, resulting in teacher dissatisfaction, low morale, and increased attrition in the education sector. She pointed out that, in the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years, only Sh2 billion was allocated for teacher promotions, a far cry from the Sh35 billion required to clear the existing promotion backlog.

According to the TSC CEO, out of the 178,871 teachers awaiting promotion, 151,611 had already been promoted over the past two years. This included 75,090 teachers promoted through common cadre promotions and 76,521 through competitive processes. In the current financial year, 25,252 teachers have received promotions after interviews conducted earlier this year.

However, budgetary constraints continue to pose challenges. Macharia revealed that 381 promotion positions advertised in late 2024 remain unfilled due to budget and logistical issues. The commission had received 25,633 applications for these positions, but only a limited number could be processed because of the funding shortage.

Despite requesting an additional Sh2 billion from the National Treasury to address these promotion issues, TSC was only allocated Sh1 billion, further exacerbating the situation. The Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) has expressed concerns about what they consider unfair and discriminatory promotion practices, particularly criticizing the TSC’s quota-based system, which they claim creates inequality and demoralizes teachers.

Macharia reassured lawmakers that any additional funding would be used to ensure that promotions are fair, timely, and effectively address the concerns of the education workforce.