Teachers Gear Up as TSC Schedules October Promotion Interviews
Teachers across Kenya are preparing for the much-anticipated TSC promotion interviews, which are set to kick off next week.
According to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) roadmap, primary school teachers will be the first to attend their sessions from 6th to 10th October 2025. The second phase, targeting secondary school teachers, TTC lecturers, and Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs), will run from 13th to 24th October 2025.
Discrimination Concerns Among Younger Teachers
While many teachers are eager, there are complaints that the process favors older applicants. Several Sub-Counties have only invited teachers aged 45 years and above, leaving younger candidates sidelined.
The promotion scorecard also prioritizes age, years of service, and administrative experience. For example:
- Teachers aged 52–56 years earn 25 marks
- Teachers aged 47–51 years get 20 marks
- Those below 41 years receive just 10 marks
In addition, teachers who have served seven years in the same job group will score the highest—30 marks—while those with fewer years earn less.
Number of Promotion Slots
The commission announced 21,313 promotion vacancies in August 2025. However, this number may increase next year following President William Ruto’s pledge to double promotions from 25,000 to 50,000 annually.
The president also committed to raising funding for teacher promotions from Sh1 billion to Sh2 billion annually.
So far, TSC has promoted 97,255 teachers since Ruto took office:
- 14,034 in 2022
- 36,275 in 2023
- 25,633 in 2024
- 21,313 in 2025
TSC Interview Roadmap
According to a circular released on 11th September 2025, the promotional interviews will follow this schedule:
Phase 1: Primary Teachers (6th–10th October)
- Senior Headteachers (D1) – 6,267 candidates
- Headteachers (C5) – 5,483 candidates
- Deputy Headteachers II (C4) – 2,132 candidates
- Senior Teacher I (C3) – 8,850 candidates
- Senior Teacher II (C2) – 24,717 candidates
Total: 47,449 candidates
Phase 2: Secondary Teachers & CSOs (13th–24th October)
- Deputy Principals II (D2) – 3,179 candidates
- Senior Masters, Senior Lecturers & Secondary Teachers I – 9,331 candidates
- Post-Primary Principals & CSOs (C5–D5 grades) – 4,660 candidates
Total: 12,510 + 4,660 = 17,170 candidates
What Candidates Need to Know
- Invitations: All shortlisted teachers will receive written notices at least 7 days before their interview date.
- Venues: Sub-County, County, and Regional Directors will ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities.
- Scoring: The official promotion score guide will be used, giving weight to experience, leadership roles, and deployment letters (even for teachers previously dropped from administrative posts).
- Confidentiality: All panelists must conduct the process with fairness, professionalism, and integrity.
