TSC Rolls Out Automatic Promotions for Teachers in Common Cadres

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has officially launched a new policy that introduces automatic promotions for teachers in common cadre grades, eliminating the need for interviews and streamlining career progression across the teaching profession in Kenya.

According to TSC Acting CEO Evaleen Mitei, who spoke before the National Assembly’s Education Committee on July 9, 2025, the commission will now promote teachers in Grades B5, C1, and C2 after every three years of satisfactory service. This new system is aimed at ensuring fairness, boosting morale, and reducing the bureaucratic backlog that has long frustrated thousands of educators.

Under the revised framework:

• Primary school teachers in Grade B5 (those with P1 certificates) will automatically move to Grade C1 after three years.
• Diploma-holding teachers in Grade C1 will be elevated to Grade C2 after three years of service.
• Teachers in Grade C2, who may hold diplomas or bachelor’s degrees, will be promoted to Grade C3, again after serving three years, subject to performance appraisals.

The new policy does away with the previous requirement for competitive interviews within these grades, which many teachers viewed as biased and inaccessible—especially for those in remote areas. Instead, promotions will be pegged to performance evaluations, as recorded in the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) tool, and verified through the Teacher Management Information System (TMIS).

Mitei clarified that the commission will continue to conduct interviews for administrative and promotional roles such as deputy principals, principals, and curriculum support officers. However, the simplified automatic system for non-administrative roles is expected to improve teacher motivation and reduce stagnation in lower grades.

Earlier this year, TSC had promoted over 25,000 teachers, some of whom had not yet served the required three years. Following a directive from Parliament, TSC reviewed these appointments and reversed 1,864 promotions that did not comply with the new policy, reaffirming the commission’s commitment to procedural integrity.

This move is also expected to reduce complaints from teachers in marginalized regions who have long claimed systemic disadvantage in promotion exercises. By using uniform benchmarks based on experience and appraisal scores, the TSC hopes to ensure that promotions are equitable and transparent.

The policy is part of ongoing efforts to professionalize the teaching service, enhance job satisfaction, and retain skilled educators within the public school system. It also reflects a broader shift toward merit-based, digital, and accountable public service practices, aligning with constitutional and labor requirements.

As the TSC begins implementing these changes in July 2025, teachers across the country can now look forward to a more predictable, fair, and performance-driven promotion structure, eliminating the hurdles that have previously hindered upward mobility within the profession.