Thousands of senior civil servants have been caught off guard by a new directive from the Public Service Commission (PSC), requiring them to attain Master’s Degrees within two years or risk losing their jobs.

The directive targets officers holding key leadership roles including directors, under-secretaries, secretaries, principal administrative secretaries, and principal secretaries and signals a major shift in government policy.

Until now, appointments and promotions to these senior positions were largely based on work experience and performance, a standard introduced in 2020.

This latest move, however, imposes a formal academic requirement and is set to affect personnel across a wide range of government departments and agencies, including the police service, National Youth Service, Kenya Prisons, Kenya Wildlife Service, and various parastatals.

The PSC says the move is intended to enhance the quality and professionalism of top-level leadership in the public service.

The directive specifically applies to civil servants in roles classified under CSG 5 and above—positions that encompass a significant portion of the public sector's top leadership.

In a memo signed by PSC CEO Paul Famba, the commission emphasized the importance of aligning with career progression guidelines, stating: “In view of the foregoing, the commission guides that all mandatory in-service programs for serving officers be observed in accordance with the requirements outlined in the various career guidelines. As such, a master’s degree will remain a requirement for all director positions, or any roles graded at CSG5 and above.”

The move underscores the PSC’s push to standardize qualifications and ensure that senior officials meet defined academic benchmarks as part of their continued service.

The memo, dated May 13, 2025, was circulated to all government departments and copied to key senior officials, including Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, and Principal Secretary Dr. Jane Kere Imbunya.

It grants a two-year grace period from the date of the communication for officers without a master’s degree to comply with the new requirement.

According to Famba, the decision follows a Cabinet resolution made on January 21, 2025, which underscored the need to reinstate compulsory performance-based in-service training for all public servants.

The directive is part of a broader strategy to enhance efficiency and leadership capacity within the civil service.

The new directive by the Public Service Commission (PSC) outlines that any officer promoted without completing mandatory training for their current grade must obtain the required qualifications within two years of the circular’s issuance.

This shift in policy presents a major hurdle for many senior civil servants most of whom are over 50 years old who now find themselves juggling the demand of acquiring a master’s degree with their already high-pressure duties.

Complicating the matter is the significant financial cost associated with pursuing postgraduate studies, with public university fees averaging over Ksh2 million and higher costs expected at private institutions.

The burden is even heavier in light of recent budget cuts: the Treasury’s 2025/2026 budget, presented by CS John Mbadi on June 12, slashed funding for civil servant training.

This contradicts the government’s own reform agenda to boost public sector performance.

PSC CEO Paul Famba, in his memo, acknowledged widening skill gaps within the civil service, especially at senior levels gaps that he warned are hampering service delivery and effective governance.