NAIROBI KENYA-The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced a major promotion drive targeting more than 34,000 teachers, in a move aimed at addressing years of career stagnation among educators across the country.
The promotion opportunities cut across primary schools, secondary schools and teacher training colleges, covering 30 job grades from Senior Teacher II to Chief Principal.
TSC says eligible teachers must submit their applications online through the commission’s recruitment portal before August 10, 2026, warning that applications delivered physically to its offices will not be accepted.
“Teachers who meet the required qualifications should submit their applications through the TSC online portal before Monday, August 10, 2026. There will be no submission of documents at TSC offices,” the commission said.
The announcement offers relief to thousands of teachers who have remained in the same job grades for years despite meeting promotion requirements.
The government has allocated 2 billion shillings in the current budget to support the promotion exercise, following concerns over a growing backlog of teachers awaiting career progression.
Recently, TSC told Parliament that 178,871 primary and secondary school teachers had remained stuck in their current grades due to long-standing financial constraints.
Most of those affected are teachers in Grade C3 in secondary schools and Grade C1 in primary schools.
The latest promotion vacancies mainly target middle-level career positions, including 13,490 posts for Senior Teacher II, 5,956 for Senior Master IV and 4,210 for Senior Teacher I.
Teacher unions have welcomed the move but continue to push for a wider solution. The Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) says more than 135,000 teachers are still waiting for promotion opportunities.
KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori says many teachers have spent years waiting for career advancement despite meeting the required qualifications.
School heads under the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESSHA) have also urged TSC to speed up promotions, saying delayed progression has affected morale among senior educators.
TSC Chairperson Dr Jamleck Muturi says the commission has promoted 274,285 teachers over the past three years, but acknowledges that many others remain trapped in their current grades.
Successful candidates will be required to provide valid documents in line with Chapter Six of the Constitution before their appointments are confirmed and will be deployed to schools where vacancies exist.
