The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) requires Sh35.5 billion to promote more than 178,000 tutors who have stagnated in the same job group for over three years.
The commission has been struggling to promote the teachers due for promotion. For the last two years, the TSC has been receiving Sh1 billion, which has been inadequate.
Appearing before the Education Committee of the National Assembly, TSC Chief Executive Nancy Macharia said the commission is grappling with a growing backlog of promotion cases, resulting in low morale and increased turnover.
“Currently, there is a total of 178,881 pending promotion cases, and the commission requires an estimated budget of Sh35.4 billion to address the backlog,” she said.
Teacher promotions were one of the grievances when secondary school teachers went on strike last August.
Recently, the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers demanded that the TSC publish a list of all teachers eligible for promotion in the 2024-25 cycle.
Data from the TSC shows that 66,828 teachers have remained in the same job group for up to eight years, earning less than their peers and at a disadvantage in perks and career progression.
An additional 9,285 teachers have been stuck in the same position for between five and seven years, while 102,768 teachers have remained in the same grade for three to five years.
The promotions are handled in line with the Career Promotion Guidelines (CPG) for teachers, which assess the candidates objectively during interviews.
“The criterion encompasses various factors such as performance appraisal, institutional leadership experience, age and contribution to academic excellence,” Ms Macharia told lawmakers.
Promotions are a critical component in the teaching profession, as they boost morale by elevating tutors to higher job groups with improved pay and benefits. Stagnation in the same position leads to frustration and low motivation within the service.
“A lack of sufficient budgetary provision for promotion of teachers has impeded implementation of the CPG for teachers resulting in their stagnation,” said the TSC CEO.
Ms Macharia said the stagnation has led to complaints from the teacher unions, reduced motivation, job dissatisfaction and increased turnover, especially among experienced teachers, among others.
She was responding to queries by the MPs on the promotion of teachers based on equity and regional balance.
The TSC has over the past three years promoted a total of 151, 611 teachers spread in various cadres across primary and secondary schools as well as teachers training colleges.
