Why Many Teachers May Never Move from Job Group B5 to C5 in Kenya
Why Many Teachers May Never Move from Job Group B5 to C5 in Kenya, Despite years of service, thousands of Kenyan teachers remain stuck in lower job groups like B5, unable to climb the professional ranks to C5 and beyond. Here are the top 11 reasons why many educators may never receive a promotion:
1. Unclear Promotion Guidelines
Many teachers say that TSC promotion procedures lack transparency. While appraisals and professional development are required, the feedback from interviews is often vague, leaving teachers uncertain about where they fall short or how to improve.
2. Budget Constraints and Funding Issues
In 2023, TSC told Parliament that 1,346 qualified teachers were not promoted due to a lack of funds. With 21,843 promotions and over 338,000 teachers in the system, budget deficits often override merit. Teachers with strong records are still overlooked due to financial limitations.
3. Ethnic, Regional, or Political Bias
Concerns persist about favoritism in promotions based on tribal, regional, or political lines. Teachers from marginalized or politically unaligned communities often feel excluded or overlooked despite qualifications.
4. Emotional and Professional Burnout
The constant rejection, financial pressure, and stagnant growth cause emotional stress. Teachers in overstretched schools, managing 70–100 pupils per class, experience deep burnout — especially when their efforts go unrecognized.
5. Few Vacancies in Higher Job Groups
The number of available positions in C5 and above is very limited. Many promotions depend on vacant slots, retirements, or transfers. Without such openings, deserving teachers remain in the same grade for years.
6. Frequent Policy Shifts
Changes in promotion frameworks and teacher schemes of service confuse many educators. Even teachers with upgraded qualifications under old systems may not qualify under new TSC policies.
7. Favoritism and Nepotism
Some promotions are influenced by personal relationships within TSC offices. Teachers without internal connections often find themselves overlooked despite having similar or better qualifications.
8. Outdated or Incomplete Teacher Data
TSC’s database, the Teacher Management Information System (TMIS), is sometimes inaccurate or incomplete. Some teachers discover their profiles are not updated, causing them to miss out on promotion opportunities.
9. Age Discrimination
Teachers over 50 years old face a hidden bias during promotions. Though experienced, they are sometimes overlooked in favor of younger candidates, especially when nearing retirement.
10. Inconsistent Qualification Recognition
Teachers with credentials from past TSC schemes or university upgrades often discover these are not recognized under new promotion criteria. Some are told their qualifications do not meet the updated framework.
11. Teaching Subjects Not Prioritized
Subjects considered less competitive or non-core (like social studies or creative arts) are often not prioritized for promotion. Teachers in these areas find fewer opportunities for career progression.
Until TSC addresses these systemic issues — from budgetary limits and bias to outdated data and shifting policies — many teachers may remain stuck in B5-C3 for decades. Promotion fairness, transparency, and inclusivity remain urgent calls from the teaching workforce.
