Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has addressed concerns raised by the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) and the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) regarding alleged irregularities in teacher promotions.
Speaking on Sunday during the 60th-anniversary celebrations of Kereri High School in Kisii, Ogamba steered clear of the politics surrounding the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) promotion process. He emphasized that promotions were being conducted within established guidelines and based on merit.
He further clarified that the TSC operates independently and is in the final stages of processing teacher promotions following the completion of interviews.
“Promotions are determined by available vacancies and performance. The process is currently being handled by TSC, which, as you know, is an independent commission,” Ogamba stated.
He added, “The interviews have been concluded, and the commission is now reviewing the results to determine who qualifies for promotion.”
The issue first gained attention on January 30 when KUPPET officials raised concerns over what they termed as an unfair and discriminatory allocation of promotion slots.
In a press briefing, KUPPET Secretary General Moses Nthurima urged the commission to ensure equitable distribution of promotions across counties.
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TSC
“We expect the commission to allocate promotion slots proportionally. Counties with a higher number of teachers should receive more slots to ensure fairness in the process,” Nthurima said.
He further called on TSC to adopt a pro-rata approach to ensure equal opportunities for teachers nationwide.
Adding to the debate, KNUT’s First National Vice Chairperson Malel Lang’at on Sunday, February 6, criticized the promotion of 25,288 teachers as inadequate in addressing career stagnation.
Lang’at attributed the imbalance to TSC’s staffing policies, which prioritize marginalized areas, inadvertently creating disparities in promotion opportunities.
“We have numerous qualified teachers waiting for promotions, yet TSC is not acting on them. Even the recent promotions did not adequately address the backlog,” Lang’at remarked.
