Top civil servants given two-year deadline to earn master’s degrees
By Alvin Mwangi, June 17, 2025Thousands of civil servants serving in positions of directors and above have been left in utter shock after the government set standards that require them to have Master’s Degrees.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) has sent shockwaves through the civil service after it directed that all civil servants in positions of directors, under-secretaries, secretaries, principal administrative secretaries, and principal secretaries must acquire a master’s degree within the next two years, or face dismissal from their roles.
Before this directive, the promotion of officers to senior positions had been pegged on requisite experience and individual performance, which was brought into force in 2020.
The sweeping directive, which impacts thousands of public sector employees in government, police, National Youth Service (NYS), Kenya Prisons, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and all parastatals, aims to raise the educational standards across senior government ranks.
Specifically, it targets employees in positions graded at CSG 5 and above, which includes a wide swath of civil servants holding influential roles in the public sector.
“In view of the foregoing, the commission guides that all mandatory in-service programs for serving officers be observed in accordance with the requirements outlined in the various career guidelines. As such, a master’s degree will remain a requirement for all director positions or any roles graded at CSG5 and above,” reads the memo signed by Paul Famba, the PSC Chief Executive and CEO.
Mandatory programmes
The memo dated May 13, 2025, sent to all government officers and copied to Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and the Principal Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Dr Jane Kere Imbunya, gives officers without a master’s degree a two-year moratorium from the date of the letter.
Famba says PSC has implemented the new system following a Cabinet meeting on January 21, 2025, that saw the necessity of reintroducing mandatory performance in-service programmes for all officers serving in the public service.
The directive states: “Any officer who has advanced to a higher grade without completing the requisite training for that grade shall be given a moratorium of two years from the date of this circular letter to comply.”
This policy shift comes as a significant challenge to many civil servants, particularly those in senior roles, as most individuals affected by the directive are aged 50 and above.
With the clock ticking, these officers will face the difficult choice of pursuing a master’s degree—an endeavour that demands immense time, effort, and focus—while also managing their high-pressure day-to-day responsibilities.
The challenge is further compounded by the substantial financial burden. For many, the cost of pursuing a master’s degree can be prohibitively high.
At public universities, the cost of a master’s program typically exceeds Ksh2 million, and it can rise significantly depending on the institution and program chosen, particularly if one opts to pursue it from a private college.
To make matters worse, the directive comes at a time when government funding for the continued professional development of civil servants has been drastically reduced.
In the 2025/2026 budget estimates presented by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi last Thursday, June 12, 2025, the allocation for advanced training for public servants was slashed, adding an extra layer of financial stress to the already strained public service workforce.
This reduction in training funds directly contradicts the government’s own stated commitment to improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the public sector.
In his memo, Famba acknowledges the growing gap in skills and competencies among civil servants at all levels.
This gap, Famba noted, has had a negative impact on service delivery, particularly at the senior levels of government, where leadership and management skills are critical.
Political appointees
“The Government is committed to ensuring that the public service is effective, efficient, and develops the required knowledge, skills, competencies, and a positive work ethos in its human capital,” Famba said.
“However, this commitment has been undermined by the suspension of some mandatory in-service training programs, further exacerbating the skills gap.”
To address these concerns, the PSC has outlined several mandatory training programs for civil servants in senior roles, including the Strategic Leadership Development Programme (SLDP), the Senior Management Course (SMC), and the Supervisory Skills Development Course (SSDC).
These programs are seen as vital for developing the necessary leadership competencies and ensuring that public servants are equipped to meet the demands of modern governance.
However, many officers, particularly political appointees serving in the offices of the President and Deputy President, face the additional challenge of not having the required master’s degree.
Many of these appointees hold director-level positions but have not yet pursued advanced degrees, making them particularly vulnerable to the new directive.
The PSC’s push for educational requirements is not without its rationale. The Commission has repeatedly cited a noticeable skill and competency gap among public servants, particularly at higher levels of government.