For thousands of teachers across Kenya, the World Bank-supported Primary One (P1) upgrading programme was meant to mark a key transition into Junior Secondary School (JSS) under the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework. Instead, the initiative has stalled in prolonged administrative processes, leaving 38,849 selected teachers in uncertainty and exposing the gap between policy design and implementation.
Despite the delay, affected teachers continue reporting to schools across all 47 counties, teaching, assessing learners and sustaining daily school operations. However, beneath this routine lies growing anxiety over when the long-promised training and career progression will begin.
“Every morning I check my phone before I enter class,” said Peter, a teacher from Western Kenya whose name appeared on the verified list. His experience reflects a broader sense of anticipation without clarity shared by many beneficiaries.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) conducted a nationwide verification exercise that identified 38,849 eligible teachers for the programme, making it one of the largest teacher upgrading initiatives in Kenya’s education history.
County distribution highlights wide disparities in teacher numbers. Kakamega leads with 4,169 teachers, followed by Bungoma (2,208), Nakuru (1,672), Homa Bay (1,566) and Kisumu (1,456). At the lower end, Lamu has 86 teachers, Marsabit 130, Wajir 151 and Isiolo 153, reflecting long-standing inequalities in teacher distribution and access to training opportunities.
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Eligibility criteria required a valid P1 certificate, a KCSE mean grade of C+ and above, and a C+ in two teaching subjects aligned to JSS requirements. The criteria were intended to align teacher competencies with CBE’s emphasis on specialization and applied learning.
However, the exercise has sparked debate, with some education stakeholders arguing that decades of classroom experience were not sufficiently weighted against academic grades obtained years earlier.
About 800 teachers were later removed from the list after verification confirmed they already held diploma or degree qualifications, adding another layer of administrative adjustment to the process.
To facilitate implementation, training centres were identified across universities, teacher training colleges and selected institutions nationwide under a decentralised model designed to improve access and reduce costs, particularly for teachers in remote areas.
The training is expected to focus on learner-centred pedagogy, CBE assessment methods, digital literacy, subject specialization, classroom management and adolescent psychology—key competencies in Kenya’s ongoing education reform agenda.
Despite these preparations, the programme has yet to take off, largely due to coordination and administrative requirements involving the TSC, Ministry of Education, training institutions and development partners.
“For me, this was a planned transition in my career,” said Mary, a teacher from Rift Valley. “I had already adjusted my expectations. Now I just wait for communication that never comes.”
Veteran teacher John described the programme as essential for system alignment. “But when alignment takes too long, the system itself feels out of sync,” he said.
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From a policy perspective, the initiative sits at the intersection of curriculum reform, workforce certification, donor-supported accountability and national budgeting cycles—each adding layers of approval and extending timelines.
While the delays are not attributed to a single administrative failure, their impact is increasingly evident as demand for trained JSS teachers rises under CBE implementation. Any slowdown in upgrading risks affecting staffing stability and classroom readiness.
The situation presents a structural contradiction: thousands of teachers have been identified and verified, but the final implementation phase has not yet commenced.
Despite this, teachers continue to serve in classrooms without interruption, maintaining learning continuity amid uncertainty.
The success of the programme will ultimately depend on coordination speed, communication clarity and execution efficiency among implementing institutions.
For the 38,849 teachers, the initiative represents more than professional training—it is a pathway to recognition and career progression now held in suspension.
As Kenya advances its education reforms, the programme’s effectiveness will be measured not by selection lists or policy announcements, but by timely delivery and impact in classrooms.
Until then, thousands of teachers remain in limbo—verified, selected, but still waiting for the system to deliver on its promise.
By Hillary Muhalya
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