Over 189,000 teachers applied for promotions, nearly eight times the declared 25,288 vacancies announced by their employer.
In an internal notice, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) indicated that they had received an overwhelming response, highlighting the high demand for career advancement opportunities among the tutors.
The vacancies, which include 9,179 positions for post-primary schools and 16,109 for primary schools, attracted applications from teachers across the country.
At the sub-county level, 96,640 primary school teachers have been shortlisted, with interviews scheduled between January 13 and January 24, 2025.
For post-primary vacancies, 44,043 teachers in grades C3 to D2 will be interviewed at the county level from January 27 to February 7, 2025.
Meanwhile, 7,224 principals and teachers in grades D3 to D5 will attend interviews at regional headquarters during the same period.
A total of 189,948 applications were received for these vacancies.
The advertisement of 19,943 senior administrative positions in educational institutions by the Teachers Service Commission.
Photo credit: Nation Media Group
“There are three levels of interviews: Sub-county, where 96,640 teachers were shortlisted for the primary school vacancies; County level, where 44,043 teachers in C3 to D2 grades will be interviewed; and Regional level, where principals and teachers in D3 to D5 grades will be interviewed,” stated the TSC notice.
This follows demands by the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), which, during a recent strike, called for the promotion of 130,000 teachers.
The union cited years of career stagnation as a key factor demoralising teachers and urged the Teachers Service Commission to address the issue.
“There is a serious crisis of career stagnation in the teaching service, revealed in the high number of teachers who have not earned any promotion for more than five years,” said Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori.
The commission had in November also placed an advertisement for promotion vacancies as it sought to fill administrative positions left vacant.
However, the commission said teachers who had applied in the advertisement between November 12 and 18 should apply afresh.
Further, Moses Nthurima, the Kuppet Deputy Secretary General, emphasized the union’s continued demand for the promotion of 130,000 teachers who have stagnated in the same job group for over five years.
Mr Nthurima noted that while the money had been allocated for teacher promotions, the government redirected part of this money towards employing new teachers.
“We are not against the employment of new teachers. However, the stagnation of these 130,000 teachers must be addressed urgently. The longer they remain in the same job group, the more they lose out in terms of career progression and morale,” said Mr Nthurima.
Kuppet has been vocal about the frustrations experienced by teachers who feel overlooked, with Mr Nthurima warning that the limited number of promotions may lead to widespread dissatisfaction.
He further acknowledged the need to address concerns from teachers who may feel left out of the promotion process, stressing that inclusivity and transparency will be key in resolving the issue.
“With over 20,000 schools across the country, the current number of promotions barely scratches the surface.
This inequality is likely to create frustrations that could affect teachers’ performance in their duties,” he added.
Mr Nthurima revealed that the union is preparing to reopen negotiations with the TSC, aiming to secure a concrete agreement that ensures the promotions are carried out this year.
“We are heading back to the negotiating table and expect TSC to commit to promoting these teachers. This is not just about fairness; it’s about recognizing the hard work and dedication of our educators,” Mr Nthurima stated.
