TSC’s 25,000 Teacher Promotions: Progress or Continued Unjust Allocations?
In April 2025, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) announced the promotion of 25,252 teachers across Kenya. With over 189,000 applicants vying for a limited number of positions, the sheer volume revealed just how deeply career stagnation has taken root in the teaching profession—and how fiercely educators are fighting for recognition and progress.
TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia defended the process, stating that the promotions were decentralized to ensure regional balance and followed legal guidelines. However, questions about equity and fairness continue to dominate the conversation.
County Disparities Raise Eyebrows
Critics quickly pointed to stark disparities in the number of promotions per county. For example:
- Garissa County received only 303 promotions,
- While Machakos County secured 690 promotions.
This imbalance has sparked questions about how allocation decisions were made and whether all regions are being given a fair chance to benefit from career mobility.
Union Concerns and Public Scrutiny
Teachers’ unions and Members of Parliament have joined the fray, urging TSC to publicly clarify:
- The criteria used for promotions
- Why some teachers remain stagnant for over a decade, while
- Others receive multiple promotions in quick succession
This perceived inconsistency not only erodes trust in the process but also demoralizes dedicated educators who feel overlooked despite years—sometimes decades—of committed service.
A Step Forward… But Not Far Enough?
While the promotions represent an attempt by TSC to address long-standing issues of career stagnation, many feel the effort falls short due to:
- Opaque selection procedures
- Lack of performance-based assessments
- Apparent favoritism or regional bias
Fair promotions should be merit-based, inclusive, and transparent—giving every teacher, regardless of location or political connection, a chance to rise.
What Do You Think?
Was the 2025 TSC teacher promotion exercise a step in the right direction—or a continuation of systemic inequities?
Should promotion guidelines be published and standardized to avoid controversy in the future?
We’d love to hear your thoughts—especially from educators on the ground. Are you one of the teachers affected by this decision?
