Mandera Teachers Decry Lack of Fairness in TSC Promotion Process

Teachers in Mandera County have voiced strong objections to the Teachers Service Commission’s (TSC) latest promotion list, accusing the body of lack of transparency, regional bias, and sidelining long-serving educators in hardship areas.

Of the 388 Mandera teachers who applied for promotions announced in April, only 197 were selected, leaving nearly half—191 experienced educators—sidelined. “The recent promotions have created confusion and disappointment,” said Hussein Hassan, Mandera’s Executive Secretary for the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT).

“The process appears to have been influenced by the Education Parliamentary Committee, which may not fully understand the context and challenges that teachers in Mandera face.”

The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) echoed these concerns, demanding the TSC to include the remaining teachers and revise its criteria immediately.

“We urge the TSC to involve all stakeholders in making decisions that significantly affect the welfare and morale of teachers in ASAL regions,” a KUPPET official stated, citing Article 56 of Kenya’s Constitution, which mandates equity and non-discrimination when conducting such appointments.

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Data from the TSC reveals stark disparities in the regional distribution of promotions: Machakos County led with 762 teachers promoted, followed closely by Meru (751) and Kakamega (748), Mandera County receiving under 1% of the total 25,252 opportunities announced filled;

Top 10 counties by number of promoted teachers

Below is a deduced list of the top 10 counties with the highest teacher promotions, as reported by Education News on May 28:

The promotions spanned various job grades, including C2 through D5.

As teachers in Mandera push for an overhaul of the TSC’s approach, their complaints have highlighted the urgent need for policy revisions to uplift teachers and strengthen schooling in the country’s most underserved areas.

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