Why TSC stopped promotion of primary school teachers since 2014
Primary school teachers previously were being promoted directly to job group L and K after attaining higher qualifications in their studies or academics.
However, since 2014 upto date the commission stopped promotion of primary school teachers citing that many teachers were going for further studies while in service thus attaining higher qualifications.
TSC said that, there was a high number of teachers acquiring higher qualifications which made the policy of promoting teachers who have attained higher qualifications practically unsustainable.
Several teachers who have attained higher qualifications while in the teaching service are likely to be promoted following recommendations by National Assembly to TSC after a successful petition filed by a splinter teachers union.
Martha Omollo, the spokesperson of the Kenya National Teachers Pressure Group (KNTPG), petitioned Parliament to compel TSC to promote teachers who have acquired diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees while in service. As a result, the outgoing Parliament recommended that TSC should recognize and acknowledge teachers who have attained higher qualifications while in service.
TSC should, after adopting the report, within the first six months negotiate with teachers’ unions on the Career Progression Guidelines (CPGs) and promote teachers who have been awarded relevant qualifications while in-service.
Further the commission shall give guidelines on relevant courses to be pursued by teachers according to the report by the Education and Research Committee adopted by MPs.
Members of Parliament noted that teacher promotions are in line with Unesco/ILO recommendations of way back in 1966 that codify intellectual rights of teachers who undertake and conclude relevant in-service courses.”
The commission had been acknowledging teachers who acquire higher qualifications through promotions but stopped the automatic promotions as from 2014 and introduced CPGs in 2016. .
Members of Parliament have instructed the teachers’ employer to also submit budgetary requirements for promotion of all qualified teachers in the 2023/2024 financial budget estimates for consideration by them.
The recommendations are compulsive for the Teacher Service Commission.
The unions pushed for the promotion of teachers while TSC defended the Teachers Code of Regulations and CPGs, citing that the two tools provide minimum qualification required for each job groups and the conditions which must be met before promotions.
From the recommendation TSC should promote teachers who graduated before 2014. They used their resources to study but they have now overstayed in the same job group.
Primary school teachers previously were being promoted directly to job group L and K after attaining diplomas, Masters or PhDs
TSC responded by saying that, there was a high influx of teachers acquiring higher qualifications which made the policy fiscally unsustainable.
