A new bill before the National Assembly is seeking to drastically overhaul the structure, powers, and remuneration of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) commissioners, in what could become one of the most far-reaching reforms to the education sector’s top management in recent years.
The Teachers Service (Amendment) Bill 2025, sponsored by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, proposes to convert the roles of TSC chairperson and commissioners from full-time positions to part-time engagements—a shift that would strip them of their current administrative influence and drastically reduce their pay.
The TSC currently has nine commissioners who serve on a full-time basis. Their mandate includes formulating policy, handling disciplinary cases against teachers, and providing oversight of the secretariat. Critics, however, argue that some commissioners have grown too powerful, often meddling in day-to-day operations that are constitutionally under the control of the TSC Secretariat and its CEO, who also doubles as the commission’s chief accounting officer.
These full-time commissioners earn some of the highest salaries in government, with the chairperson receiving about Ksh 765,000 per month, while other commissioners earn about Ksh650,000, in addition to comprehensive benefits such as official transport, mortgages, car loans, medical cover, airtime allowances, and service gratuity.
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MP Barasa says the current setup is not only expensive but also creates overlaps between the commission and the secretariat, leading to inefficiencies and conflicts.
The bill proposes to restructure the commission so that commissioners operate more like Boards of Management (BoMs) in schools—attending policy and oversight meetings only, and earning sitting allowances instead of monthly salaries.
If the amendments pass, commissioners would meet at least six times per financial year, earning Kshs 40,000 per sitting, while the chairperson would earn Ksh 50,000. This represents a dramatic departure from the current pay structure and would cut government expenditure by an estimated Ksh70 million annually.
Barasa argued before the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) that maintaining a full-time commission is unnecessary because the TSC Secretariat already runs the daily operations efficiently.
The bill also seeks to amend Section 6(3) of the TSC Act to broaden eligibility for appointment to the commission. It proposes that primary school teachers, secondary school teachers, lecturers, and TVET tutors be considered for nomination by the President.
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According to Barasa, this inclusivity will ensure a more balanced representation of teachers across all levels of the profession.
Supporters of the bill say it will curb instances where commissioners allegedly interfere with recruitment, transfers, promotions, and disciplinary decisions, roles that legally belong to the secretariat.
The shift to part-time service, they argue, will restore commissioners to their advisory and policy-making roles rather than allowing them to operate as shadow administrators.
Barasa insists the reform is both cost-saving and structural, aimed at restoring clarity between governance and management within the TSC.
“The commission no longer needs to operate full time. These changes will cut unnecessary expenses and ensure fair and inclusive representation of teachers,” he told MPs.
The bill is now awaiting further deliberation in Parliament, with unions, teachers, and education stakeholders expected to scrutinize its potential implications for the running of Kenya’s largest employer of public servants.
By Kimwele Mutuku
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