Teachers on Edge: How New Policies Are Reshaping the Life and Future of Kenyan Educators

In the past six months, the education sector in Kenya has experienced some of its most rapid and unsettling policy shifts in years. The government, through the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the Ministry of Education, has rolled out a series of decisions touching on promotions, transfers, pay structures, and training programs. While many of these reforms are presented as “modernization” or “rationalization,” to the teachers on the ground, they often feel like shifting sands beneath their feet.

It started quietly in July 2025, when the TSC announced a major round of promotions targeting over 36,000 teachers. On paper, this was meant to reward experience and improve motivation. But in reality, many teachers complained that the promotion criteria were opaque, favoring those who had connections or who served in particular regions. The process was heavily digitalized, and teachers without easy internet access or tech skills struggled to apply before deadlines closed.

As that promotion wave was settling, another policy landed — the Teacher Internship Program was renewed in August 2025. The TSC confirmed the hiring of 24,000 Junior Secondary School interns to fill gaps left by delayed permanent recruitments. The idea, according to the Commission, was to give graduates a chance to gain experience before being absorbed permanently. Yet, many saw it as a tactic to save costs since interns earn less than half of what fully employed teachers make.

Those interns, earning between KSh 15,000 and KSh 20,000 per month, are the backbone of Junior Secondary Schools. However, their future remains uncertain, as there’s no clear guarantee of absorption after the internship period. Many teachers’ unions have demanded that internship periods count toward pension and permanent employment, but so far, the TSC has maintained silence.

The issue of pay and salary harmonization has been another storm brewing under the surface. Since June 2025, several teachers’ unions, including KNUT and KUPPET, have pushed for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) to address inflation and the rising cost of living. Teachers argue that while prices of goods have nearly doubled since 2022, their pay has largely stagnated. The government insists that salary reviews will only follow after the Salaries and Remuneration Commission’s fiscal review in 2026.

In September 2025, the government introduced a “pathway-based fee structure” for senior schools as part of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) reforms. This model adjusts school fees depending on the course chosen — technical, arts, or science. While it aims to align costs with resources, teachers fear it will widen inequality between schools, as well-funded urban institutions attract better teachers while rural ones remain under-resourced.

The new structure has forced teachers to adapt quickly. CBC already demanded a new way of teaching — more practical, student-centered, and assessment-based. Now, the pathway model adds a new layer of complexity. Teachers are expected to guide students not just academically but also career-wise, a task for which many feel undertrained and unsupported.

To deal with these changing expectations, the TSC launched several teacher retooling and retraining programs between July and October 2025. Over 90,000 teachers across Kenya were enrolled in short CBC refresher courses to help them align with the new assessment models. These sessions were held both in person and online. But critics argue that a few days of training cannot undo decades of exam-oriented teaching culture.

Alongside retraining came digital monitoring. TSC rolled out a centralized online teacher performance tracking system meant to monitor lesson attendance, learning outcomes, and student engagement. Teachers were required to log activities on digital dashboards. While it promotes accountability, many teachers see it as surveillance — another bureaucratic hoop that doesn’t reflect the real conditions in overcrowded, under-equipped classrooms.

The transfer policy has also taken a new direction. Since August, the Commission has resumed the controversial “delocalization” of teachers, a process that sends educators to schools outside their home counties. Though TSC insists it ensures equity in teacher distribution, the backlash has been immense. Teachers complain that being separated from their families affects morale, performance, and mental health.

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In October 2025, following pressure from unions and county leaders, the TSC hinted at a partial review of delocalization. The Commission promised to prioritize family reunification cases and health-related requests. But as of now, no formal directive has been issued, leaving thousands of teachers in limbo, waiting for transfers that may never come.

At the same time, promotion through affirmative action remains a contentious issue. Teachers from hardship counties like Turkana, Garissa, and Mandera argue that their extra responsibilities and harsh working conditions deserve faster promotions. Yet, only a small number benefited in the last promotion round, deepening the sense of exclusion.

The disciplinary and code of conduct framework also changed quietly. Teachers accused of misconduct now face faster digital case reviews under new TSC guidelines introduced in August. The goal was to reduce case backlogs. However, union lawyers say this rush process denies teachers fair hearing rights, especially in cases where evidence is incomplete or maliciously framed.

Mental health among teachers has become a hidden crisis. The Ministry of Education, through its wellness program launched in July, began deploying counselors in select counties. But coverage remains limited. Teachers in remote areas have no access to mental health services, despite the immense pressures of large class sizes, exam expectations, and poor working conditions.

The pension and retirement benefits debate resurfaced in September when several retired teachers protested delays in receiving their dues. The TSC blamed the delays on Treasury cash flow issues, but for many retirees, it was a painful reminder that years of service can end in neglect. Younger teachers now fear a future where their contributions may not translate into timely benefits.

Amidst all this, promotion through merit continues to be overshadowed by politics. Many teachers allege that the process is influenced by regional and political favoritism rather than pure performance. This has led to widespread demoralization, especially among long-serving teachers who feel their loyalty to the profession is being repaid with frustration.

The Teachers Professional Development (TPD) modules remain a thorn in the flesh. Teachers are required to undertake periodic refresher courses at their own expense, roughly KSh 6,000 per year. Unions argue this is unfair since professional development should be employer-funded. Many teachers skip the courses due to financial constraints, risking career stagnation.

At the policy level, Parliament has started to question TSC’s independence. Some MPs want amendments to make the Commission more accountable to the Ministry of Education, arguing that TSC’s autonomy has made it unresponsive to teacher concerns. If passed, this would alter the constitutional balance created under Article 237 of the 2010 Constitution.

Teacher unions, once strong voices, have been weakened by internal divisions and state interference. KNUT, KUPPET, and KUSNET rarely issue joint statements anymore, giving the TSC room to implement policies without strong collective resistance. This fragmentation leaves individual teachers vulnerable to unilateral changes.

Another challenge is the contractualization trend. Instead of permanent and pensionable positions, many new teachers, especially in TVET and Junior Schools, are being employed on renewable contracts. This shifts the burden of job security and retirement savings onto the teachers themselves. It’s a quiet privatization of teaching labour.

Teachers in special needs education have also been sidelined. Despite promises of increased support, special schools continue to suffer from understaffing, low pay, and lack of teaching aids. Recent policy drafts mention inclusivity, but funding allocations remain minimal compared to mainstream education.

Pay disparities have widened too. Senior principals and administrators enjoy significant allowances, while early-career teachers and interns barely meet living costs. This two-tier system breeds resentment, particularly when cost-of-living allowances remain frozen despite high inflation.

The Competency-Based Curriculum’s implementation has shifted heavy workload onto teachers. Continuous assessments, reporting templates, and parental engagement sessions have multiplied. Teachers say they now spend more time filling forms than teaching. Yet, performance appraisal systems still judge them as if the old 8-4-4 structure remained.

In October, the Ministry of Education hinted at reviewing the workload structure, promising to reduce paperwork. However, that plan has not yet been formalized. Teachers still navigate daily administrative chaos with little clarity about what success truly looks like under CBC.

Another underreported issue is the digital divide. While TSC and MoE push for e-learning and digital records, thousands of schools still lack reliable internet or electricity. Teachers in rural Kenya often travel to cyber cafés to upload reports. Without infrastructure investment, digitization becomes punishment, not progress.

The issue of teacher motivation remains unresolved. Many educators say morale is at its lowest in years. Between rising living costs, delayed promotions, uncertain contracts, and new performance metrics, the joy of teaching is fading. Some are quietly leaving for private schools, NGOs, or even non-teaching roles.

Looking at all these policy changes together, one thing stands out: the Kenyan teacher is being asked to do more with less. More accountability, more adaptation, more digital engagement—but with stagnant pay, unstable job terms, and limited voice in shaping reforms.

The government insists that these reforms are necessary to align Kenya with global education standards. But reform without inclusion breeds resistance. Teachers are not obstacles to progress; they are the very foundation of it. Any system that forgets this will collapse under its own weight.

As Parliament returns from recess, the call is clear: reopen discussions on teacher welfare, transparency in promotions, fair pay, and humane transfer policies. Without restoring dignity to the teaching profession, no curriculum—CBC or otherwise—can succeed.

Kenya’s education system stands at a crossroads. We can either build it on fairness, consultation, and respect for teachers, or continue patching over cracks until the entire structure crumbles. The choice, like the future, is ours.

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