The government will save up to Sh71.6 million a year if the terms of service of the chairperson and members of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) are varied from fulltime to part time if a legislative proposal by Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa becomes law in its current state.
The draft TSC (Amendment) Bill 2025, also seeks to alter the composition of TSC by amending section 6 (3) of the Act to ensure that primary and secondary school teachers as well as those at the tertiary level are considered for nomination to the commission.
The TSC chairman and eight commissioners appointed on a six-year nonrenewable term, serve on a full-time basis enjoying full salary and all other benefits as prescribed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
The TSC chairperson gets a salary of Sh765,000 a month and Sh650,000 for the members, translating to Sh73.8 million in the current year, rising to Sh77.4 million in the next financial year and Sh81.14 million in year three while taking care of inflation at the rate of five percent.
“The gist of the proposal is that, upon enactment, the chairperson and members of the TSC will serve on a part-time basis unlike the current situation where they serve on a full-time basis,” says Mr Barasa.
The TSC commissioners will however continue to enjoy other benefits and allowances approved by SRC even when their terms of engagement change to part time.
This will translate to Sh2.22 million annually, meaning that the government will save Sh71.6 million in salaries in the first year, Sh75.2 million in the next year and Sh78.92 million in year three.
Kimilili MP Didmus Wekesa Barasa speaks to the media at Bunge Tower Nairobi on June 18, 2025.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
“The role of the TSC commissioners doesn’t justify them to work every day,” said Mr Barasa, noting that the commissioners’ current full-time status causes so much friction with the secretariat.
The financial implications of the proposed Bill are based on the assumptions that the commission serving on a part-time basis will hold at least six sittings every financial year.
This is based on provisions of the TSC Act with the SRC capping their sitting allowance per meeting at Sh50,000 for the chairperson and Sh40,000 per member.
Currently, commissioners in constitutional commissions including TSC, are appointed under qualifications and procedures provided for in their respective Acts and serve on a full-time basis.
This means that upon enactment, it is only the TSC that will have commissioners serving on a part-time basis.
The other constitutional commissions are Kenya National Human Rights and Equality Commission (KNHREC), the National Land Commission (NLC), Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the Parliamentary Service Commission.
The others include Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), Public Service Commission (PSC), Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the National Police Service Commission (NPSC).
According to the TSC Act, the commission is mandated to manage teaching resources in the education sector, which include primary and secondary school teachers as well as the tutors in Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs). Article 237 defines the role of TSC.
These include to register trained teachers, recruit and employ registered teachers, assign teachers employed for service in any public school or institution and promote and transfer teachers.
The others include exercise disciplinary control over teachers, terminate employment of teachers, review the standards of education and training of persons entering the teaching service, review demand and supply for teachers and advise the national government on matters relating to the teaching profession.
Mr Barasa’s proposal largely borrows from South Africa that has the South Africa Council for Educators (SACE) established by an Act of parliament.
SACE is responsible for registration, recruitment and promotion of educators, development of education and training for educators, in charge of professional ethics among educators as well as advising the Minister for Education on matters relating to education of educators.
SACE is composed of a chairperson and 28 other persons representing various interest groups and serves on a part time basis for a four-year period which is nonrenewable.
