TSC blames budget shortfall for promotion delays affecting over 178,000 teachers
Macharia said that in the current financial year alone, 25,252 teachers had been promoted following interviews conducted earlier in the year.
More than 178,000 teachers across the country have remained stuck in the same job group for years due to a Sh35 billion funding shortfall at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the National Assembly Education Committee heard on Tuesday.
TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia, while appearing before the committee chaired by Kasipul MP Eve Obara, said the commission’s efforts to implement career progression guidelines had been slowed down by limited budget allocations.
"Lack of sufficient budgetary provision has significantly impeded the career growth of teachers. This stagnation has triggered complaints from unions, lowered morale, and contributed to increased attrition within the profession," Macharia said.
She told the lawmakers that the commission had only received Sh2 billion for teacher promotions over the last two financial years, a small fraction of the Sh35 billion required to address the promotion backlog fully.
Out of this allocation, the TSC promoted 151,611 teachers: 75,090 through common cadre promotions and 76,521 through competitive processes.
Macharia said that in the current financial year alone, 25,252 teachers had been promoted following interviews conducted earlier in the year.
Despite these efforts, many positions remain vacant.
According to records presented to the committee, 381 promotion vacancies advertised in November and December 2024 are yet to be filled due to a mix of financial and logistical challenges.
Macharia told the committee that in November 2024, the commission received 5,690 applications for promotions, while another 19,943 were submitted in December.
She explained that the TSC had asked the National Treasury for Sh2 billion to fund promotions this year, but only Sh1 billion was provided.
This further limited the number of teachers the commission could promote.
Her presentation comes at a time when pressure on the TSC is mounting from teachers’ unions and professional bodies, including the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA).
KESSHA has raised concerns about the promotion process, accusing the commission of unfairness and bias.
The association has particularly criticised the quota system used in promotions, saying it is both discriminatory and demoralising to teachers who have served for many years without moving up the ranks.
Macharia defended the commission against the accusations, insisting that promotions were handled according to established guidelines and available resources.
The Education Committee is expected to use the information provided by the TSC to engage the National Treasury on the need for increased funding to address the growing backlog of teacher promotions