Here’s Why Over 179,000 Teachers Stuck In The Same Job Group

Over 179,000 primary and secondary school teachers across the country have been stagnated in the same job groups for years, with little hope of promotion, due to chronic underfunding.

This alarming revelation was made on Tuesday by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) CEO, Dr. Nancy Macharia, who appeared before the National Assembly Education Committee to shed light on the deepening crisis facing educators in Kenya.

The committee, chaired by Kasipul Member of Parliament Eve Obara, listened as Dr. Macharia outlined the extent to which limited resources have derailed teachers’ professional growth. According to her, nearly 179,000 teachers, precisely 178,871, have stagnated in their roles, despite having met the necessary qualifications for career progression.

To address this backlog and promote all eligible teachers, the commission urgently requires an additional Sh3 billion. However, that funding has not been forthcoming.

“Lack of sufficient budgetary provision has significantly impeded the career growth of teachers. This stagnation has triggered complaints from unions, lowered morale, and contributed to increased attrition within the profession,” Dr. Macharia told the lawmakers, painting a sobering picture of the demoralized state of Kenya’s teaching workforce.

The financial strain has coincided with growing discontent among teachers’ unions and educators across the country. Many have accused the commission of bias and favoritism in the promotion process.

They argue that the TSC’s quota-based promotion system, which allocates slots based on region and school category, is inherently unfair, particularly for teachers in densely populated counties where competition is intense.

Dr. Macharia, while defending the commission against accusations of nepotism, explained that TSC has only received Sh2 billion for teacher promotions over the last two financial years. This is significantly below the Sh3.5 billion that would have been required to eliminate the current backlog.

Nonetheless, TSC has made efforts to promote teachers within its limited means. Over the past two years, a total of 151,611 teachers have received promotions, 75,090 through what is known as the “common cadre” system (which involves automatic promotions after a set number of years), and 76,521 through competitive interviews.

This year, 25,252 more teachers have already secured promotions, following rigorous interviews conducted earlier in the year. But despite the enthusiasm and high participation, 381 advertised positions remain unfilled, a fact the CEO attributed to regional disparities and logistical challenges.

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In November 2024 alone, TSC received 5,690 applications for promotion, and another 19,943 the following month, clear indicators of the overwhelming demand and desire among teachers to move up the professional ladder.

“While we had requested Sh2 billion from the National Treasury for this year’s promotions, only Sh1 billion was allocated,” Dr. Macharia revealed, underlining the tough financial constraints the commission continues to grapple with.

The situation is particularly dire in rural areas, where logistical hurdles often delay the promotion process. In some cases, interviews are not conducted in a timely manner, and many schools are suffering from acute understaffing as seasoned teachers opt to leave in search of better opportunities or simply out of frustration.

Critics of the current system argue that the quota-based model disproportionately disadvantages teachers in high-density areas such as Nairobi, Kiambu, or Kisumu, where the number of qualified applicants far exceeds the available slots. Meanwhile, in sparsely populated regions, positions may go unfilled due to lack of applicants or delays in the interview process.

Despite the odds, TSC has expressed a continued commitment to pushing for more resources in order to address the lingering crisis. But without urgent intervention from the government, many fear the situation could worsen, with thousands of teachers stuck in professional stagnation, a scenario that risks lowering the quality of education across the country.

Committee Chairperson Eve Obara emphasized the urgent need for action: “Our teachers are the backbone of this nation’s future. We must do right by them, not just with words, but with resources and action.”

As the debate continues, educators, unions, and policymakers alike are calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the promotion system and a substantial increase in funding to ensure that qualified teachers are not only recognized, but empowered to grow within their profession, for their own benefit and for the betterment of the education sector as a whole.

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