A fiery session unfolded in Parliament today as irate Members of the National Assembly Education Committee took the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to task over what they termed as an “inexcusable stagnation crisis” affecting thousands of Kenyan teachers.
At the heart of the storm: delayed promotions, claims of discrimination, and a staggering Sh35 billion budget deficit that has paralyzed career progression for more than 178,000 teachers.
“This rot must stop,” declared the Committee’s Vice Chairperson Hon. Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul), demanding to know why teachers in hardship zones, women, and those with special needs continue to be overlooked despite years of dedicated service.
“TSC cannot keep hiding behind budget excuses. Where is the transparency, the meritocracy, the fairness?” she pressed.
Moral Crisis in Classrooms
MPs painted a grim picture: disillusioned educators, plummeting morale, and a sector on the verge of implosion. Hon. Abdul Haro did not mince his words, warning, “This backlog has not only crushed the hopes of hardworking teachers but is undermining the quality of education across the country.”
According to TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia, underfunding remains the Commission’s Achilles’ heel. She acknowledged that while 151,611 teachers were promoted between 2023 and 2025, the figures are a drop in the ocean compared to the existing demand.
Out of this, 75,090 benefitted through common cadre promotions and 76,521 via competitive selection. However, with only Sh2 billion allocated across two years, the Commission remains crippled by a Sh35 billion shortfall.
Allegations of Favoritism and Regional Bias
The session also saw MPs spotlighting disturbing allegations of favoritism, quota discrimination, and systemic bias. “We are hearing cases where deserving teachers are bypassed because their county has ‘exceeded its quota’ — that is not only unfair but unconstitutional,” lamented Hon. Nabii Nabwera.
Hon. Phylis Bartoo added, “Affirmative action must be real, not just a checkbox exercise. What is TSC doing to ensure more women, hardship area teachers, and special needs educators rise to leadership?”
TSC Defends Itself
In a spirited defense, Dr. Macharia assured lawmakers that promotions are guided by merit, digital tracking, and affirmative action protocols under Article 56 of the Constitution. She cited a digitized Teachers Online System that allows real-time application monitoring and faster turnaround.
“We rely on performance, data analytics, and adherence to Regulation 73 of the Code of Regulations for Teachers. We are not biased,” she insisted.
She also revealed that 25,252 teachers had been promoted in the current financial year alone, and a review of the CPG and CORT is underway — subject to amendment of the TSC Act and public participation.
MPs want more than words. The Committee is now pushing for a complete overhaul of the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) and the Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT) — calling for concrete principles that prevent discrimination, reward merit, and promote national inclusivity.
“We will not allow our teachers to be demoralized into silence. The time for reform is now,” concluded Hon. Obara.
