The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has released the 2025/2026 promotional guidelines that will oversee promotions of 21, 313 teachers in various job groups in a recently released advert.
In the advert, TSC plans to fill vacancies in Chief Principal, Senior Principal, Principal, Deputy Principal, Senior Lecturer, Senior Master, Secondary Teacher 1, Senior Head Teacher, Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, Senior Teacher, Senior Curriculum Support Officer and Curriculum Officer positions.
In the circular dated August 11, 2025, signed by the Acting TSC Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Eveleen Mitei and addressed to TSC Regional Directors, County Directors and Sub-County Directors, the Commission states that the guidelines will apply to teachers employed by the Commission and will be valid up-to June 30, 2026.
According to TSC, the guidelines have incorporated the salient constitutional principles of transparency, accountability, fair competition and merit. “To ensure consistency with the Commission’s legal and policy framework, the Guidelines have been aligned with the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) for Teachers (2018) , Curriculum Support Officers (2019), The Code of Regulations for Teachers (2015) and the Policy on Appointment and Deployment of Institutional Administrators (2017),” reads part of the circular.
All applications must be submitted online through the designated TSC portal. Manual or paper-based applications will not be accepted.
Applicants are advised to fill in all required fields accurately and completely. They must also confirm that their application has been submitted successfully to avoid disqualification caused by incomplete submissions.
To be eligible for promotion, a teacher must have served for a minimum of three years in their current grade. Teachers with a disciplinary record must wait two years after being found guilty or one year after receiving an administrative warning before applying.
A teacher who has been re-employed by the Commission must complete at least three continuous years of service before being considered. This ensures that only teachers with a stable record and proven commitment are promoted.
Shortlisting will be done in a ratio of one vacancy to three applicants. This means for every single position available, the Commission will shortlist three of the most qualified candidates.
The Commission will then apply a standard scoring system to assess all shortlisted candidates. Points will be awarded for academic qualifications, with higher qualifications like Masters or PhD earning more marks.
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Service in acting positions such as head of institution, deputy head, senior master or senior teacher will earn additional marks. The number of years served in the current grade will also contribute to the score, with more years meaning higher points.
Teacher Performance Appraisal (TPA) and Development ratings over the past three years will be taken into account. Consistently high ratings will earn better scores.
Seniority and overall experience in the teaching profession will add points. Teachers who have contributed to national education activities such as Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) exams marking, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) curriculum work or TSC training will receive extra recognition.
The final selection of successful candidates will be overseen by the TSC Board. Selection will be merit-based but will also comply with constitutional requirements such as gender balance, inclusion of persons with disabilities and fair regional representation.
Once approved, the list of successful candidates will be published on the TSC website. Heads and deputies will be posted to schools with leadership vacancies.
An offer for promotion must be accepted within thirty days. If not accepted, the offer will lapse and the position may be given to another candidate.
At least five percent of all promotions will go to registered persons with disabilities. Interview venues will be accessible and teachers with hearing or speech challenges will be allowed a sign language interpreter.
The Commission will monitor and evaluate the process from start to finish. Interview panel members will be trained, timelines will be tracked and an exit report will be submitted to the Board by January 27, 2026.
The Commission has warned teachers to be alert to fraudsters. The promotion process is free of charge, and any attempt to influence the process through bribery or canvassing will lead to disqualification.
Cases of suspected fraud should be reported to the nearest TSC office, the headquarters via the official phone numbers or email, or to the police.
Through these measures, TSC aims to ensure that promotions in the teaching service are structured, credible, inclusive and free from corruption. Teachers who meet the requirements and perform strongly in the assessment stand the best chance of advancing their careers in this promotion cycle.
By Benedict Aoya
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