Secondary school heads at the 49th Kessha annual conference at Sheikh Zayed Hall in Mombasa on Tuesday / BRIAN OTIENO
Teachers could soon enjoy faster career growth after the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) signed a new agreement with the Teachers Service Commission.
Kuppet deputy secretary general Moses Nthurima hailed the review of the Career Progression Guidelines as a major breakthrough for teachers.
He spoke during the 49th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) Annual National Conference in Mombasa on Tuesday.
For years, many teachers have remained stuck in the same job groups despite improving their qualifications, skills and professional experience.
Nthurima said the introduction of dual career pathways—administrative and classroom-based—would give teachers greater flexibility and opportunities for advancement.
“The introduction of dual pathways—administrative and classroom-based—together with provisions for crossing over and greater mobility, will greatly reduce stagnation that has frustrated many dedicated teachers for years,” he said.
Previously, promotion opportunities were largely tied to the availability of administrative positions in schools.
“Last week, we agreed that you can grow to the highest echelon of teaching while remaining in the classroom, but you can also choose to be in administrative structures.
“Those pathways have not been there before and, for that reason, this is a major inroad with regard to the progression of teachers,” Nthurima said.
He said the proposed merging of selected job grades would further create room for career advancement.
Kuppet has proposed the merging of grades C4 and C5, as well as D4 and D5, although the recommendations require advice from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC).
The union also plans to engage both TSC and SRC on a comprehensive job evaluation exercise.
“We have recommended that a number of job groups be merged to ensure teachers take a shorter time to attain the highest level possible in their careers,” Nthurima said.
The agreement also clarifies movement between junior and senior schools, allowing teachers to transition more easily between the two levels.
Kuppet is also pushing for automatic promotion after five years of satisfactory service, subject to SRC approval.
According to Nthurima, many teachers have repeatedly attended promotion interviews without success.
“There is some resistance to the proposal, but we believe that, with continued engagement, it will eventually happen,” he said.
“Automatic progression will motivate teachers, retain talent and strengthen the entire education sector.”
The union is also advocating the recognition of higher academic qualifications through career progression and financial rewards.
Kuppet wants teachers who attain Master's and PhD qualifications to move to higher job groups.
“At TSC, they recognise Master’s degrees, they also need to recognise PhDs,” Nthurima said.
“Teachers have been discriminated against for a long time and, for that reason, we are not going to relent until higher qualifications attract monetary benefits.”
He said affirmative action measures in promotions had been retained under the agreement.
Kuppet has also proposed that promotions be distributed proportionately in highly populated counties.
On acting appointments, Nthurima pointed to the Teachers Service Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2024, currently before Parliament.
The Bill proposes that teachers should not serve in acting capacities for more than six months before positions are filled substantively.
It also proposes special allowances for teachers acting in positions for which they do not qualify, and acting allowances for those who meet the qualifications.
The Bill, sponsored by Mandera South MP Abdul Haro, seeks to ensure teachers serving in acting administrative roles, such as principals, deputy principals and heads of department, receive full acting allowances.
Nthurima also criticised the state of teachers’ medical cover following the transition from Minet to SHA.
He said teachers were still experiencing delays in treatment, drug shortages and detention in hospitals because of exhausted cover limits.
“Teachers are being detained in hospitals. Teachers are paying for drugs. Teachers are spending a lot of time in hospitals. Sometimes we are being pushed to government hospitals that largely lack drugs,” he said.
Nthurima said Kuppet had raised the matter repeatedly with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba, but the concerns remained unresolved.
“We are using our money and we need value for our money,” he said.
He urged the government to increase the ex gratia allocation to TSC to support teachers whose medical cover has been exhausted.
“We have been intervening on behalf of teachers detained in hospitals for TSC to provide ex gratia support, but they have told us the allocation is very small,” he said.
“Retaining teachers in hospital because they cannot settle their bills flies in the face of human dignity.”
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The new Career Progression Guidelines represent one of the most significant reforms in Kenya’s teaching profession in years. If fully implemented, the changes could improve morale, reduce stagnation and help retain experienced teachers in classrooms. However, key proposals, including automatic promotion and recognition of postgraduate qualifications through enhanced pay, still require approval from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. The reforms therefore mark an important step forward, but many teachers are waiting for tangible benefits.
