TSC faces Sh5 billion shortfall as teacher promotions stall
Many more teachers become eligible each year, and the lack of adequate resources is threatening to slow career progression and affect the quality of instruction in public schools.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) is grappling with a major funding gap as it seeks an extra Sh5 billion to promote thousands of eligible teachers, a parliamentary committee report has revealed.
According to the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) of the National Assembly, the current allocation of Sh1 billion falls far short of what is needed to cover promotions for teachers who have completed at least three years in their current grades.
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Many more teachers become eligible each year, and the lack of adequate resources is threatening to slow career progression and affect the quality of instruction in public schools.
CIOC, led by Suba South MP Caroli Omondi, said in its report that the shortage of funds has “severely” constrained the commission’s ability to implement the career advancement guidelines set out for teachers.
The committee is now urging TSC to provide a clear breakdown of the total funds required, detailed promotion costs, and a concrete timeline for clearing the growing backlog.
This financial year, TSC received Sh378.2 billion, which covers salaries, hiring of permanent teachers, and recruitment of interns.
Under the TSC Act, the commission is responsible for teacher recruitment, registration, employment, assignment, promotion, transfer, discipline, and termination in public institutions.
In July, TSC introduced a new policy to fast-track promotions for teachers performing well, aiming to accelerate career growth and reduce stagnation.
Under this system, teachers in common grades—B5 to C1, C1 to C2, and C2 to C3—receive automatic promotions after every three years of satisfactory service, as monitored through the Teacher Professional Appraisal Development system.
The new policy removes the rigid interview requirements for these grades, though higher-level promotions, from D1 and above, continue to be competitive, requiring advertised vacancies and interviews.
Despite these reforms, MPs note that financial constraints are a major hurdle for mass promotions.
The CIOC report also highlights challenges from veteran teachers who decline promotion offers to avoid mandatory transfers from their preferred duty stations, creating additional complications.
“The commission recommends continuous budgetary provisions specifically allocated for teacher promotions to address this growing backlog and ensure career progression remains viable for serving teachers,” TSC said in the report.
MPs have requested detailed information on teachers who have been promoted, including their original employment dates and promotion timelines.
“This information should demonstrate the correlation between graduation years, employment periods and promotion timelines to address the inconsistencies observed in the employment and career progression patterns,” CIOC stated.
The committee also wants TSC to analyse promotion trends over the past five years to identify any delays or favouritism. Data on teachers who are eligible but have not yet been promoted, broken down by years of service and qualification levels, is also required.
Additionally, MPs have asked for information on measures planned or implemented in counties experiencing teacher shortages to ensure a fair and balanced distribution of staff.
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