Teachers Service Commission (TSC), once envisioned as the cornerstone of equitable teacher management, is increasingly being viewed as a stumbling block to the very profession it is mandated to nurture.

Since Kenya Kwanza came to power in September 2022, a growing chorus of discontent from teachers, unions and education stakeholders has exposed deep-seated flaws in how the TSC handles employment and promotions–turning dreams of career growth into bureaucratic nightmares.

This week alone, the National Assembly’s Education Committee laid bare the rot at TSC when it comes to teachers’ promotions, exposing how 5,291 tutors earned their grades after barely serving for six months in their previous job grades, while thousands have stagnated in one job group for more than 20 years.

In essence, the TSC has barefacedly been trampling on the three-year minimum requirement set for any teacher to be eligible for promotion to the next grade.

TSC under outgoing secretary and chief executive Nancy Macharia, has been accused of abetting irregularities in the promotion of teachers, such as bribery, ethnic imbalance and politicisation of the whole process.

Three months ago, there were reports of TSC recruitment and promotion letters being issued from the State House to politicians perceived to support President William Ruto’s regime.

In an interesting development that appeared to erode the integrity of the teaching profession, the letters were subsequently issued by politicians to their freshly graduated supporters at funerals and public rallies at the expense of those who merited and had even graduated from colleges years back.

Macharia’s introduction of an opaque promotion system that prioritises paperwork and questionable performance appraisals over genuine merit and classroom impact needs to be reviewed.

The TSC must urgently review its policies and procedures to ensure they are fair, transparent, and responsive to the realities on the ground.

Promotions should reflect experience, commitment, and impact – not just performance scores and rigid interviews. Employment policies must prioritise dignity, equity, and long-term security for all teachers, devoid of politicisation.