The Teacher’s Service Commission (TSC) has dismissed requests from teacher unions regarding its recently published list on promotions, sparking a dispute with both the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).
KNUT sought transparency by asking TSC to disclose the names of promoted teachers alongside their identification numbers.
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KNUT also formally demanded transparency regarding the interview guidelines used during December 2023 and January 2024.
The union questions TSC’s decision to withhold actual names alongside the identification numbers listed, fearing the potential for inaccuracies or even posthumous promotions without proper identification.
The absence of concrete identities linked to the published TSC numbers has ignited criticism and suspicion, with many questioning the rationale behind TSC’s reluctance to reveal the names for auditing purposes.
Mrs Winfred Kathure, a teacher at M.C.K. Kaaga Primary School in Meru County, central Kenya in class ; Image/x
Some discrepancies have been noted in the list, including a mix of both old and recent TSC numbers, further fueling doubts about the selection process.
Evidence is emerging of qualified teachers being overlooked, prompting concerns about fairness and accuracy in the promotion system.
Despite mounting pressure, TSC insists that only individuals listed will receive promotion letters, with several counties already in the process of issuing these letters based on the provided list.
The published list, spanning 724 pages and featuring the TSC numbers of 36,505 successfully promoted teachers from interviews conducted in December and January, marks a significant development.
All promoted teachers are expected to submit five Chapter Six documents as part of the promotion process.
TSC has hinted at potential reassignments for those promoted to deputy and headteacher positions, likely involving transfers outside their current sub-counties.
Senior teachers may find placements within schools with vacancies in their current sub-counties, while confirmed promotions may lead to placements in schools where individuals have been acting for extended periods.
Unsuccessful candidates will receive regret letters, serving as documentation of their interview participation.
The promotion process, which began with advertisement last September, saw over 150,000 teachers shortlisted for interviews.
Primary school teacher interviews were conducted from December 4th to 15th, 2023, while secondary school teachers and Teacher Training College (TTC) tutors underwent interviews from January 3rd to 16th, 2024.
