- Acting administrators want TSC to recognise two years of service when considering promotion applications.
- They say teachers serving in hardship areas should not be subjected to the general three-year threshold.
- TSC has previously applied a two-year eligibility exception for candidates in ASAL and hard-to-staff counties.
Acting school administrators serving in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) have appealed to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to review its promotion eligibility criteria ahead of the anticipated advertisement for administrative positions.
The administrators want the Commission to allow teachers who have served for at least two years to qualify for promotion interviews, arguing that a three-year threshold would unfairly disadvantage teachers working in hardship areas.
According to the teachers, many administrators in ASAL regions continue to shoulder leadership responsibilities under difficult conditions, yet risk remaining ineligible for substantive appointments if required to meet a three-year service requirement.
Teachers seek consideration for hardship areas
They argue that educators serving in non-ASAL areas, including major urban centres, often benefit from better working conditions, improved access to professional development and greater career advancement opportunities, placing ASAL teachers at a disadvantage.
The appeal comes as teachers await the next round of TSC promotion advertisements, with acting administrators hoping the Commission will adopt an inclusive approach that recognises the unique challenges of serving in remote and hardship regions.
The administrators say applying the two-year eligibility threshold would promote fairness, boost morale among teachers serving in marginalised areas and ensure experienced acting school leaders are not overlooked during promotion interviews.
They further maintain that the move would help address staffing challenges in ASAL regions by motivating more teachers to take up leadership responsibilities without fear of prolonged acting appointments.
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The teachers have urged TSC to use the upcoming promotion exercise to address what they describe as a long-standing concern affecting career progression for educators in hardship areas.
TSC promotion guidelines for several administrative positions require candidates to have served in the relevant grade for a specified period, including three years for a number of leadership roles.
The acting administrators now hope the Commission will recognise the circumstances of teachers serving in ASAL regions and provide an equitable pathway for them to compete for substantive appointments.
By Kithinji Njeru
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