Teachers charged with serious crimes may soon have to step aside from their duties and survive on half their basic salary, if Parliament passes the Teachers Service Commission, TSC, (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Under the proposal, any teacher facing a serious criminal charge would have to leave office until the case is concluded. They would take home 50 percent of their basic pay, though their allowances would remain untouched.
The bill, published on September 11 and now before Parliament, also gives the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) more muscle to discipline errant teachers.
It lengthens the list of offences that can attract sanctions, adding cyberbullying, exposing learners to pornography, drugs or other harmful substances, and holding another paid job while employed by the commission.
To help the commission handle such cases, the bill defines two key terms for the first time: “sexual exploitation” and “serious offence.” Teachers found guilty of misconduct under the expanded provisions could face disciplinary action.
Beyond discipline, the bill pushes for tighter accountability. It calls for stronger performance management and appraisal systems covering both teachers and institutional administrators, a category that includes heads of institutions and any other officials running learning institutions.
It also proposes national standards for teacher registration, professional conduct and service delivery. Teachers would be required to keep up with continuous professional development to stay in good standing.
The commission would be given powers to build teacher capacity and oversee professional growth programmes.
To drive this, the bill creates the Institute of Teacher Support and Professional Development, which would sit under the TSC and run programmes aimed at sharpening teachers’ skills and competencies throughout their careers.
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