KUPPET condemns TSC for ignoring decade-long teacher promotion backlog
The union has called for a clear promotion framework that would allow teachers in job group C3 to move to C4 after three years without the need for an interview. Interviews would only be necessary for promotions from C4 upwards.
The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) has condemned the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) for ignoring thousands of teachers who have remained in the same job groups for more than ten years, despite meeting all requirements for promotion.
According to union officials, at least 130,000 teachers s have gone through multiple promotion interviews, some as many as four times, but have not been successful. This situation has left many teachers feeling disheartened and undervalued.
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“Teachers have been stuck in the same grade since 2011. By 2025, if nothing changes, it means they have been denied progression for over a decade. This is not only unfair but also traps them in a dead-end,” KUPPET Secretary General, Akelo Misori said on Monday.
The union has called for a clear promotion framework that would allow teachers in job group C3 to move to C4 after three years without the need for an interview. Interviews would only be necessary for promotions from C4 upwards.
Officials argued that the lack of promotion opportunities is damaging the quality of education, especially as schools implement a new curriculum and cope with overcrowded classrooms.
KUPPET highlighted recent reforms in the National Police Service, where officers who had been in the same rank for over ten years are being promoted automatically, without interviews or vacancy announcements. This policy was approved by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
“We praise the National Police Service for promoting officers who had been stuck in one job group for more than 10 years. They did so without declaring vacancies or conducting interviews,” Misori said.
Deputy Secretary General Moses Nthurima described the ongoing promotion freeze for teachers as unfair and an indication of TSC’s failure to address educators’ concerns.
“It is surprising that while the government rewards police officers with automatic promotions, teachers who have been in the same job group for over 10 years are ignored. What message does this send to the education sector?” Nthurima questioned.
Last week, Murkomen announced that the police service had reduced the automatic promotion age for long-serving officers from 53 to 50 years.
Police officers who have served as constables, corporals, or sergeants for over 15 years and are at least 50 years old will now be promoted automatically. Inspectors who have served for more than 10 years and reached the same age will also qualify.
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