After a remarkable 38-year career at the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), outgoing Chief Executive Officer Dr Nancy Macharia is set to leave the institution’s helm at the end of June.

In an emotional farewell on Wednesday, Dr Macharia addressed her final public gathering as TSC boss during the 48th Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KSSHA) conference held at the Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa.

“This a comes at a defining moment in my life and career,” she said. “It marks my last week as Chief Executive and Commission Secretary of the Teachers Service Commission, and the end of my 38-year journey that began as a classroom teacher and culminated at the top.”

She added: “It gives me great joy to spend my final days in office addressing school principals — the highest cadre of managers in our education system, and the people who have defined my leadership experience.”

Vetting and approval

Dr Macharia, who turns 62 this year, has been nominated to chair the Murang’a County Public Service Board and now awaits vetting and approval by the County Assembly. The TSC, in the meantime, has appointed Director of Staffing Eveleen Mitei as Acting CEO, according to an internal memo dated June 1.

The outgoing CEO likened her exit to “a good dancer who knows when to leave the floor,” noting that she had invested significantly in succession planning. She expressed confidence in the directors she mentored, saying they were well equipped to steer the institution through the rollout of the senior school competency-based education (CBE) pathways, a key concern among school heads.

Appointed as CEO in June 2015, Dr Macharia made history as the first woman to lead the Commission since its establishment. She succeeded Gabriel Lengoiboni, who held the position for 11 years.

She recalled initial doubts about her ability to navigate the traditionally turbulent education sector — then rife with industrial unrest.

“I remember a senior government official asking me, ‘Nancy, are you sure you’ll withstand the heat from the trade unions?’ My response was simple: ‘With God and dialogue, I will manage.’ And the rest is history,” she said.

During her 10-year tenure, Macharia introduced reforms — some praised, others criticized.

Home counties

One of the most controversial was the 2017 Teacher Delocalization Policy, which saw head teachers and newly recruited teachers transferred outside their home counties.

The policy aimed to promote national integration and curb nepotism, but it sparked outrage among educators. Many complained it was implemented without consideration for age, health, or family situations.

Reports linked the policy to mental health struggles, family breakups, and even depression among affected teachers.

Additionally, Dr Macharia introduced the Teacher Professional Development (TPD) program, a mandatory continuous training initiative designed to equip teachers with modern pedagogical skills and adapt to the evolving demands of education.

Despite some resistance, this program underscored her commitment to professionalizing teaching in Kenya.

She maintains the quality of education improved markedly under her stewardship.

“Our teachers have won regional and international awards. Today, we have over 10,000 school heads, up from 6,000 when I took office — with clearer structures, refined job groups, and better remuneration,” she said.

She cited the introduction of the job group D3 (equivalent to JG-P) up to D5 (equivalent to JG-R), which nearly doubled salaries for school principals.

Born in 1963, Macharia holds a Master’s degree in Education Policy and Management from the University of Bristol, UK, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education (English/Literature) from Kenyatta University. Over the years, she has trained in Corporate Governance, ICT, Procurement, Policy, and Business Excellence.

However, she acknowledged that teacher shortage remains a critical challenge. As of June 2025, the basic education sector has a shortfall of 98,461 teachers — with Junior School alone requiring an additional 72,422 educators.

To address the crisis, Macharia announced that the government has set aside Sh2.4 billion in the 2025/2026 financial year to recruit 20,000 intern teachers.

“This will bring the total number of teachers recruited under the Kenya Kwanza administration to 96,000,” she said. “Additionally, the National Treasury has allocated Sh1 billion for the promotion of teachers to higher grades — above the 25,000 promoted this year alone. I urge qualified teachers to apply when the slots are advertised.”

As the curtains fall on her long career at TSC, Macharia believes she walks away with a legacy both lauded and debated, a trailblazer who dared to lead through calm and storm alike.

Ms Macharia is the 9th Commission Secretary/Chief Executive Officer after Mr Jesse Muhoro (1967 to 1974), James Kamunge (1974 to 1977), Duncan Mwangi (1978 to 1980), Joseph Lijembe (1980 to 1982), Jackson Kang’ali (1982 to 1998), Benjamin Sogomo (1998 to 2003), James Ongwae (2003 to 2004) and Gabriel K Lengoiboni.