TSC releases long-awaited allowances to field officers after teacher promotion interviews in Kenya
The TSC has finally released the allowances to its field officers who conducted the recent teacher promotion interviews across Kenya.
The payments, which covered transport and meals, were disbursed last week through County Directors (CDs) to the TSC Sub-County Directors (SCDs). The reimbursement is for primary school teacher interviews conducted between January 13-23, 2024 and secondary school teacher interviews held from January 26 to February 6, 2024.
Breakdown of Allowances
- Each panelist received KSh 1,500 per day for the duration of the interviews.
- For the 10-day primary teacher interviews and 12-day secondary teacher interviews, panelists got about KSh 60,000 each.
- The Regional Directors and TSC senior officers, who handled interviews for senior and chief principals, were paid via per diems.
A TSC director told Education News:
“Each officer was paid KSh 1,500 per day, covering transport and meals. The number of panelists per county varied depending on the workload.”
Easing Tensions Between TSC and Field Officers
The delayed allowances had been causing growing discontent among TSC field officers who felt undervalued despite the heavy workload. Many officers questioned the Commission’s commitment to supporting their work, given the lack of timely payments.
Tensions escalated when field officers petitioned TSC CEO Dr. Nancy Macharia to address their concerns. Among their key issues were:
✅ Delayed allowances for various assignments.
✅ Unclear promotion structure within TSC.
✅ Heavy workload for field officers.
Despite a face-to-face meeting between TSC leadership and officers in Naivasha last year, the frustrations remained and so the pressure mounted on TSC to act.
The Big Picture: Teacher Promotions in Kenya
The interviews were part of TSC’s December 2024 recruitment, where 19,000 teacher promotion slots were announced. The exercise involved multiple TSC officials including:
- Sub-County Directors (SCDs)
- Human Resource Officers (HROs)
- Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASO)
- Curriculum Support Officers (CSOs)
With the funds released, the field officers now have newfound motivation to do their work. However, workload and career progression remain critical issues that TSC must address to maintain staff morale.
What This Means for Teachers and TSC Officers
- Teachers waiting for promotion can expect TSC to continue processing results and finalizing appointments.
- Field officers’ grievances may still need to be addressed to get timely facilitation of duties.
- The education sector in Kenya faces systemic challenges and needs more funding, transparency and efficiency in TSC’s operations.
The allowance payment is a positive move but TSC has a long way to go in ensuring fair compensation, clear promotion structures and better working conditions for its staff.