When Eveleen Mitei took over as Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Teachers Service Commission on June 1, 2025, she inherited an institution grappling with long-standing problems.
Staffing shortages, delayed promotions, heavy bureaucracy and rising expectations from teachers and the public had tested the commission for years.
Stepping into the role, she faced both the burden of history and the urgency for credible, practical reform.
Mitei brought with her three decades of experience within Kenya’s education system.
She began her career in 1994 as a classroom teacher, later rising through senior positions at the TSC Secretariat, including Human Resource Management Officer and Director of Teacher Discipline Management.
Those roles gave her insight into the daily realities of teachers and the inner workings of the commission.
Her academic training—a Master of Science in Human Resource Management from the University of Manchester and a Bachelor of Education from Moi University—added a strong technical foundation to her administrative experience.
From the start, Mitei signalled that she intended to lead differently.
She launched wide-ranging consultations with teachers across the country, holding forums, listening sessions and surveys to understand not only administrative obstacles but also the frustrations felt in classrooms.
Teachers reported delays in promotions, inadequate staffing and limited professional development.
By listening openly and responding with practical steps, Mitei built early trust in a system where teachers had long felt unheard.
Her focus on recognition has been central to her leadership. Many teachers say they have begun to feel valued in ways they had not for years.
Under her watch, stalled promotions were resolved, long-delayed postings were completed and thousands of vacancies were filled.
A nationwide recruitment exercise placed more than 20,000 teachers in Junior Secondary Schools, while over 25,000 interns were deployed across the country to ease pressure in understaffed classrooms.
These moves immediately improved student–teacher ratios and signalled that the commission was finally addressing critical gaps.
Teacher welfare has featured strongly in Mitei’s agenda.
One of her most significant decisions was announcing the transition of all teachers to the Public Officers’ Medical Scheme Fund under the Social Health Authority, effective December 1, 2025.
The change is expected to provide more reliable and comprehensive medical coverage for teachers and their families—an issue that had caused deep concern for years.
She also launched senior school retooling programmes to prepare teachers for the demands of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Her tenure has also been marked by stronger collaboration. Mitei has worked closely with the Ministry of Education, county education offices, teacher unions, and parents’ associations to ensure smoother implementation of policies.
The coordination behind the new medical scheme, in particular, demonstrated her ability to harmonise complex systems without sidelining teachers’ welfare.
Her approach has helped restore confidence in the commission’s ability to work transparently and predictably.
Efficiency has been another priority. Teachers and retirees have for years complained about delayed payments and slow processing of benefits.
Mitei placed emphasis on clearing backlogs and speeding up financial procedures. The improvements have reduced anxiety among teachers and reinforced confidence that the commission can meet its obligations promptly.
Her leadership has not been without challenges. Legal disputes surrounding the recruitment process for the next TSC CEO have created uncertainty.
Even so, Mitei has continued to push ahead with reforms, earning praise from educators who say her steady, people-centred approach has brought much-needed calm to an institution often viewed as distant.
Looking ahead, education experts say there is room to strengthen mentorship programmes, create clearer career progression paths and expand mental health support for teachers.
Better use of data to track staffing needs and learning outcomes would help the commission respond more effectively to emerging challenges.
Still, in a short period, Mitei has shown that leadership grounded in empathy, consistency, and fairness can make a meaningful difference.
By engaging teachers directly and prioritising their welfare, she has rebuilt trust and given the education sector a renewed sense of direction.
As the commission considers its next steps, many stakeholders believe confirming Eveleen Mitei as CEO would provide continuity for reforms that have begun to take shape.
They argue that stability at the top is essential if the TSC is to maintain momentum and deliver long-term improvements for both teachers and learners.
Hillary Muhalya is a teacher at Talau Comprehensive School in West Pokot county.
