The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has rolled out new guidelines for the 2025/26 promotion exercise, putting much more emphasis on seniority, age, professional contribution of a teacher.
The new approach is widely expected to favour teachers who have stayed in the same job group for many years without moving up.
Under the new criteria, teachers aged 57 and above are the biggest winners.
The scoring model heavily rewards long service and experience, meaning older teachers who have been in one grade for a long time will have a clear edge.
The teachers’ employer says it has prepared 32 different scoring guides for the various grades, which will be used throughout the 2025/26 financial year to ensure promotions are handled in a uniform and transparent way.
Earlier this month, the commission advertised 24,000 promotion vacancies across different grades.
With the new guidelines in place, age, experience, and professional engagement carry significant weight.
For instance, a 57-year-old teacher who has spent seven years in the same job group will earn a large share of the available points even before other factors are considered, putting them in a strong position during interviews.
On the other hand, teachers who are 41 years or younger will receive just 10 marks for age, while their 57-year-old counterparts will get 50.
The scoresheet also looks at academic qualifications, acting appointments, the length of time a teacher has remained in a particular grade, their Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) scores, and overall seniority and experience.
Professional involvement is another key pillar meaning teachers who have served as KNEC examiners, CBC trainers, TIMEc mentors, or who have contributed to KICD or CEMASTEA programmes will receive more marks
Academic papers, however, carry a relatively smaller share of the score . A teacher who has a PhD will earn five marks, with master’s and bachelor’s degrees holders following behind.
TPAD performance can contribute up to 10 marks, and teachers who have maintained an average rating of 81 per cent or higher over three years will secure the full score in this category.
Teachers will be awarded 50 marks if they have served many years in their current job group.
A teachers who has been in one grade for three years gets 10 marks, with the score increasing as the years of service grow.
For senior job groups like Chief Principal (Grade D5/T-Scale 15), the commission has adopted a standard scoring sheet that also covers senior principals, principals, deputy principals, headteachers, and senior lecturers.
TSC has defended the new guidelines, saying they are grounded in constitutional demands for fairness, transparency, and merit-based promotions.
The commission has also urged teachers living with disabilities to apply, promising that affirmative action will be observed.
Even so, some education experts caution that the criteria may disadvantage younger teachers who, despite strong academic qualifications and good performance, have fewer years of service.