The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) of Kenya has announced ongoing reforms aimed at enhancing the welfare of educators, which may lead to substantial changes in the policies governing recruitment, deployment, and promotion within the teaching profession.
During the second day of the annual general meeting of the Kenya Primary School Headteachers Association (KEPSHA) held at Migori Stadium, Japhet Kariuki, the regional director of the TSC for Nyanza, presented the Commission’s new initiatives designed to improve educational quality and the welfare of teachers.
Kariuki indicated that a key aspect of these reforms involves aligning teacher recruitment with the geographical origins of applicants. Specifically, the TSC plans to prioritize the hiring of teachers from the counties or regions in which they were born. This strategy aims to reduce the increasing number of transfer requests that typically follow new appointments.
“We are changing our recruitment policy where teachers will be recruited in their local areas to reduce the frequent transfer requests we receive. This will enhance school stability and ensure continuity in learning,” Kariuki said.
Kariuki disclosed that the Commission was developing new staffing norms tailored for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), including comprehensive and senior secondary schools.
He invited school heads and educators to provide their input on the ideal number of learning areas a teacher should handle to inform teacher deployment ratios.
“We’re asking for your feedback as we determine the number of teachers needed per class under CBC. Your insights on the number of learning areas per teacher are crucial,” he said.
While addressing the longstanding issue of career stagnation among teachers, the director acknowledged that many educators have worked for decades without promotion.
He said the new promotion criteria prioritized the length of service and age, provided that a teacher had no disciplinary issues.
“We don’t want a teacher to start working and retire without a promotion. Age and years of service will now be major considerations to address career promotion stagnation,” Kariuki said.
He noted that going forward, teachers’ discipline records and commitment will be the key benchmarks in promotion to align them with the CBC.
On the issue of teacher interdiction, Kariuki announced a shift in how disciplinary cases, particularly those related to alcoholism and absenteeism, will be handled.
He explained that instead of immediate interdiction, affected teachers will be placed in mentorship, coaching, and rehabilitation programmes.
“Before interdiction, we want to help our teachers. If some are struggling with alcoholism or desertion, let’s support them through mentorship or even rehabilitation before pushing them out of class,” he said.
On collective bargaining, the Director confirmed that TSC is in consultation with the National Education Reform Committee (NERC) and teachers’ unions to begin negotiations for the 2025–2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Among the key proposal is elongating career grades for both primary and secondary school teachers.
The Primary school teachers currently end at grade D1, but the CBA is pushing for an extension to D2, while those from Senior Secondary schools the CBA is lobbying for an extension to D6. Kariuki emphasised that if the proposal goes through, teachers will have better career progression and enumeration.
Kariuki also encouraged school heads to support the TSC’s efforts and re-affirmed the Commission’s dedication to fair treatment, continuous development, and teacher-centered reforms.
Migori Governor Dr. Ochilo Ayacko, who graced the occasion at the stadium, praised their tireless efforts in nurturing future generations, calling for improved remuneration and working conditions for school administrators.
He said that teachers were responsible for shaping children at a tender age by managing their education, health, safety, and discipline despite being underappreciated, under-resourced, and poorly compensated.
Ayacko urged the national government to reconsider the compensating head teachers, noting the pivotal role they played in laying the foundation for future professionals, leaders, and reformists.
He decried the inadequate infrastructure and lack of basic utilities in many rural schools, further highlighting the harsh conditions in which teachers operated.
Ayacko also emphasised the need for collective support from parents and communities, noting that headteachers are often unfairly blamed for poor performance while being offered minimal support.
During the conference, Ayacko reaffirmed his administration’s ongoing investment in Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) infrastructure.
He reported that Migori County has so far constructed 140 ECDE classrooms and that there were plans to put up 50 more in the current financial year saying 25 teachers have been recruited to replace those who had exiting teaching service.
The KEPSHA Nyanza Regional Chairperson, Elly Ondiek, lauded TSC and the county government for their continued support.
Ondiek however, he decried the challenges school heads faced mentioning, including shortages of teacher, inadequate infrastructure, and insecurity in some regions as some of them.
“We urge TSC and the Ministry of Education to fast-track teacher recruitment and provide sufficient learning materials. Headteachers are committed, but we need support to deliver,” said Ondiek.
The KEPSHA conference brought together hundreds of school heads from Kisii, Nyamira, Kisumu, Homa Bay, Siaya, and Migori counties, with discussions centered on the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), teachers’ welfare, school infrastructure, and education financing.
The leaders called for multi-sectoral collaboration in addressing emerging challenges in the education sector, including mental health among teachers, the impact of climate change on school attendance, and inclusivity in education policies.
