- Senators demand urgent action on prolonged acting appointments, teacher shortages, delayed promotions and unpaid acting allowances.
- TSC says new Career Progression Guidelines and the ongoing promotion of 34,016 teachers will strengthen career growth.
- Lawmakers insist increased funding is needed to improve teacher welfare, staffing equity and education standards.
The Senate has piled pressure on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to urgently resolve long-standing challenges affecting teachers in Samburu County, as lawmakers demanded decisive action on prolonged acting appointments, persistent staffing shortages, delayed promotions, unpaid acting allowances and inequitable teacher deployment across the country.
The concerns took centre stage during a high-level consultative meeting between the Senate Standing Committee on Education and the TSC leadership at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi. The session, chaired by Samburu Senator Betty Montet, was convened to deliberate on a petition presented by teachers from Samburu County, who accused the Commission of failing to adequately address critical human resource issues that continue to undermine service delivery and teacher morale.
Appearing before the committee, Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer Dr Evaleen Mitei, accompanied by senior officials led by Deputy Director of Legal Services Allan Sitima, defended the Commission’s record while acknowledging that financial constraints remain the biggest obstacle to resolving many of the concerns raised by teachers.
Opening the proceedings, Senator Montet reminded the Commission that Parliament has a constitutional duty to protect the welfare of teachers while ensuring every learner in Kenya enjoys equitable access to quality education.
She observed that the petition touched on fundamental issues of career progression, staffing equity, leadership succession and teacher motivation, matters that require urgent intervention if learning outcomes are to improve, particularly in marginalised regions.
In its response, the Commission revealed that sweeping reforms are underway to transform the teaching profession through the introduction of new Career Progression Guidelines (CPGs), which are expected to create a transparent, fair and structured promotion framework.
Dr Mitei informed senators that the revised guidelines have already been approved by the Commission and forwarded to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for evaluation and budget alignment before implementation.
She explained that the reforms seek to eliminate uncertainty in promotions by introducing clear career pathways, strengthening succession planning, expanding mentorship programmes and enhancing teacher professional development.
According to the Acting CEO, the Commission has already advertised promotions for 34,016 teachers under a KSh2 billion budget allocation, describing the exercise as a significant milestone in improving career advancement opportunities within the teaching service.
However, despite the ongoing reforms, senators expressed concern over the growing number of teachers serving in acting capacities for years without substantive appointments or payment of acting allowances.
Responding to the issue, Allan Sitima explained that while the Constitution, the Teachers Service Commission Act, the Code of Regulations for Teachers and the Collective Bargaining Agreement provide for acting appointments, none of the existing legal instruments specifies how long an officer should remain in an acting position.
He said the Commission continues engaging the National Treasury to secure additional funding that would facilitate payment of acting allowances and confirmation of teachers serving in acting capacities.
His explanation drew sharp questions from Senator Catherine Mumma, who challenged the Commission to explain whether it had formally requested the National Treasury to budget for both current acting allowances and accumulated arrears owed to affected teachers.
Dr Mitei acknowledged that the Commission fully supports compensation for teachers serving in acting positions but noted that implementation depends entirely on the availability of funds from the National Treasury.
She said TSC consistently includes the expenditure in its annual budget proposals, but resource limitations have delayed implementation.
Funding constraints dominate discussions
The committee also turned its attention to the chronic shortage of teachers in Samburu County and other Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), with senators questioning whether existing staffing policies adequately address regional disparities.
Dr Mitei explained that although TSC has consistently recruited more teachers into Samburu than those exiting through transfers, staffing gaps persist because of limited funding, teacher mobility and the unique challenges associated with hardship areas.
She disclosed that in 2024 alone, the Commission recruited 455 teachers in Samburu County from more than 4,100 applicants through a competitive and merit-based process. She added that TSC continues to recruit teachers from local communities, engage teacher interns, replace teachers leaving service and undertake staff balancing through transfers to improve staffing levels.
The Commission also defended its affirmative action policy, saying it remains an essential tool for promoting equity and strengthening representation of teachers serving in marginalised and hard-to-staff regions.
Mr Sitima told senators that affirmative action has been integrated into the Commission’s human resource policies to provide teachers in ASAL counties with equitable opportunities for promotion and leadership appointments.
Despite the assurances, lawmakers maintained that much more needs to be done to translate policy into measurable improvements on the ground.
Senator Agnes Kavindu Muthama argued that sustainable financing remains the foundation upon which meaningful education reforms must be built.
She observed that the government cannot expect quality education while the Commission continues operating under severe financial constraints that limit recruitment, promotions and teacher welfare programmes.
The senator also questioned the Commission’s long-term strategy for absorbing thousands of qualified but unemployed teachers who remain outside the teaching service despite growing shortages in public schools.
The discussion further extended to teacher deployment in informal settlements, where Senator Catherine Mumma warned that learners living in vulnerable communities continue to suffer because of inadequate staffing.
She called for equitable deployment policies that guarantee every Kenyan child equal access to qualified and motivated teachers regardless of geographical location.
Responding to the concerns, Dr Mitei explained that teacher deployment is guided by approved staffing establishments and national staffing norms, while transfers are processed according to established policy guidelines that consider medical, family and administrative circumstances.
She assured the committee that TSC continues reviewing staffing needs to enhance equitable distribution of teachers across the country.
On retirement benefits, the Commission reported significant progress following the establishment of a National Pension System database, which has considerably improved the processing of retirement claims and reduced delays experienced by retired teachers.
The committee also welcomed the Commission’s continued payment of Special Duty Allowances to teachers handling learners with special needs and its investment in teacher professional development, mentorship and succession planning.
Senator Johnes Mwaruma cautioned that prolonged acting appointments have negatively affected staff morale and undermined confidence in the Commission’s promotion system.
He argued that teachers entrusted with higher responsibilities deserve certainty regarding their careers and should not remain indefinitely in temporary positions.
Senator Nderitu Kinyua echoed similar sentiments, saying equitable staffing policies are essential in reducing regional disparities and improving educational outcomes across the country.
In her closing remarks, Dr Mitei thanked the committee for its constructive engagement and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to implementing recommendations aimed at strengthening teacher welfare, improving administrative efficiency and enhancing education standards.
Committee Chairperson Betty Montet assured teachers that the Senate would continue pursuing the issues raised in the petition until lasting solutions are found, noting that motivated teachers remain the cornerstone of a strong and competitive education system.
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The deliberations highlighted the growing urgency of addressing teacher welfare, career progression and staffing inequities. While TSC insists that reforms are underway, senators made it clear that meaningful change will require stronger financial support from the National Treasury, faster implementation of policy reforms and sustained oversight to ensure teachers receive the recognition, opportunities and support they deserve.
By Our Reporter
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