The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) exists to ensure professionalism, equity and quality in the management of teachers across the country. Teacher deployment and transfer are not mere administrative actions; they shape school culture, academic standards and learner outcomes. In recent years, however, the prevailing practice of vertical transfers – moving teachers from sub-county schools to extra-county or national schools – has raised serious questions about standards and institutional integrity. It is time the Commission reconsidered its approach and prioritised horizontal transfers instead.
Horizontal transfer refers to the movement of teachers from one sub-county school to another within the same category. Vertical transfer, on the other hand, involves moving a teacher from a lower-tier school, such as a sub-county institution, to a higher-tier school, such as an extra-county institution. While career mobility is important, the unintended consequences of vertical transfers cannot be ignored.
Sub-county schools, by their very nature, face systemic challenges. They often admit students with lower entry grades, operate with limited resources and struggle with inconsistent parental support. Over time, many teachers in these schools adapt to the prevailing conditions. Expectations may gradually lower, targets may become modest and academic rigour may not match that of extra-county institutions. This is not to condemn sub-county teachers wholesale – many are hardworking and innovative – but institutional culture is powerful. Where mediocrity becomes normalised, even good teachers risk adjusting to survive rather than to excel.
When such teachers are vertically transferred to extra-county schools, they carry with them habits shaped by different expectations. Extra-county schools thrive on strong academic traditions, competitive performance and intense internal benchmarking. Learners in these schools often arrive with higher grades and sharper academic discipline. A teacher accustomed to relaxed standards may struggle to keep up with this pace. The result is a gradual dilution of established standards.
Education is not only about syllabus coverage; it is about mindset. Schools build identities over decades. Extra-county schools are known for excellence because they guard their academic culture jealously. Introducing teachers who have internalised lower performance thresholds risks unsettling that balance. Standards are fragile; once compromised, rebuilding them is far more difficult than maintaining them.
Horizontal transfers, by contrast, offer several advantages. First, they promote fairness without destabilising institutional hierarchies. Moving a teacher from one sub-county school to another exposes them to fresh environments while maintaining the same structural level. This allows professional growth without creating sudden mismatches between teacher culture and school expectations.
Second, horizontal mobility encourages peer learning among similar institutions. A teacher from a relatively stronger sub-county school can inspire colleagues in a weaker one. Good practices – effective lesson planning, exam moderation strategies and learner engagement techniques—can spread organically. The entire sub-county tier benefits without disrupting higher-tier schools.
Third, horizontal transfers preserve the meritocratic ladder. Teachers aspiring to serve in extra-county or national schools should meet clear, measurable criteria: consistent performance records, evidence of innovation, strong appraisal outcomes and perhaps specialised training. Vertical mobility should be earned through competitive processes, not facilitated as routine transfers. Excellence must be demonstrated, not assumed.
Some may argue that denying vertical transfers limits teachers’ career progression. That concern is valid. However, career progression need not be tied solely to the school category. The TSC can expand professional growth pathways—such as senior teacher roles, curriculum specialist positions, or mentorship programmes—within the same school category. Professional recognition can occur without necessarily shifting institutional tiers.
Moreover, indiscriminate vertical transfers can demoralise teachers already serving in extra-county schools. When teachers who have built reputations within high-performing institutions see colleagues transferred in without comparable track records, resentment may grow. Morale affects performance. Schools thrive when teachers feel that standards are protected and merit is respected.
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It is also important to consider learners. Parents choose extra-county schools because of their established quality. They expect stability, consistency and high academic discipline. Frequent vertical transfers introduce uncertainty. A school’s academic results are not accidental; they are products of systems carefully refined over time. Abruptly altering these systems can lead to unintended performance declines.
Reforming transfer policy does not mean stigmatising sub-county teachers. Instead, it calls for strengthening sub-county schools themselves. If mediocrity is a concern, the solution lies in targeted capacity building—continuous professional development, instructional supervision and performance accountability—within that tier. Elevate standards at the base before shifting teachers upward. Improvement should be systemic, not cosmetic.
The TSC has the constitutional mandate to manage teacher deployment strategically. Strategic management means recognising that schools are ecosystems. What works in one category may not seamlessly translate into another. Horizontal transfers maintain ecological balance while allowing teachers to broaden their experiences.
In the long term, the Commission could institute a structured pathway for vertical mobility: a competitive application process, performance audits and mandatory induction into the culture of extra-county schools. Such measures would ensure that upward movement strengthens rather than weakens standards.
Ultimately, the goal of any transfer policy must be to protect quality. Kenya’s education system depends on credible institutions whose reputations are built on sustained excellence. If vertical transfers become routine without rigorous vetting, standards risk erosion. Prioritising horizontal transfers, while designing merit-based pathways for vertical movement, would safeguard both fairness and excellence.
The Teachers Service Commission must therefore rethink its transfer philosophy. Equity does not mean sameness; it means placing teachers where they are most effective. By favouring horizontal transfers and reserving vertical mobility for proven excellence, the Commission will protect institutional culture, strengthen sub-county schools and preserve the integrity of extra-county institutions. In education, once lost, standards are painfully difficult to regain. Prevention is wiser than repair.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub-county and serves as Dean of Studies.
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