- Teachers deployed to Junior Schools have asked the TSC to create separate promotion slots under Advert No. 104/2026, rather than competing alongside Senior School teachers.
- The teachers have argued that Junior Schools’ distinct administrative structure warrants its own dedicated promotion cadre.
- TSC has advertised 5,956 Senior Master IV positions as part of a wider 2026/2027 promotion exercise covering 34,016 vacancies, but has not yet indicated whether it will separate the slots.
Teachers deployed to Junior Schools have asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to separate promotion slots for Junior School and Senior School teachers under Advert No. 104/2026.
The teachers, serving as Senior Teachers in Junior Schools, have written to the Commission seeking dedicated promotion opportunities for the Junior School cadre, arguing that they should compete among themselves rather than alongside teachers serving in Senior Schools.
Their request comes after TSC advertised 5,956 positions for Senior Master IV (Regular and Special Needs Education) under Advert No. 104/2026, as part of the Commission’s 2026/2027 teacher promotion exercise.
The teachers argue that the current arrangement could disadvantage those deployed to Junior Schools, given the differences in the administrative structures and responsibilities between Junior and Senior Schools.
In their letter to the TSC Executive Secretary, the deployed Senior Teachers said Junior School administration falls under the primary school structure and should therefore have dedicated promotion slots reflecting its distinct cadre.
They are specifically calling for promotion positions for Junior School administrators, commonly referred to as Junior Masters, to enable eligible teachers in the section to compete within their own cadre.
“We kindly urge the Commission to consider this request in the interest of fairness and equity in the promotion process,” the teachers said in their appeal.
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Advert No. 104/2026 places Senior Master IV at T-Scale 9, with the advertised positions targeting teachers progressing from C3 to C4. TSC’s requirements include having served as a Secondary Teacher I at T-Scale 8 (C3) for at least three years, attaining a satisfactory performance appraisal rating and demonstrating leadership and professional support capabilities.
The teachers’ appeal seeks to have the Junior School component distinctly recognised within the promotion framework, amid continued adjustments to the teaching service following the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
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The request now places the Commission at the centre of a debate over how promotion opportunities should be distributed between teachers serving in Junior and Senior Schools.
TSC has not yet publicly indicated whether it will separate the slots or revise the current arrangement.
The 2026/2027 promotion exercise covers 34,016 vacancies across various grades and cadres, with the Commission having invited qualified teachers to apply through its online recruitment system.
By Kithinji Njeru
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