Discover how the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) promotes teachers in Kenya. Learn about the scoring system, TPAD performance, acting roles, age, co-curricular involvement, and other key promotion factors.
TSC Promotion Criteria: How Teachers Are Scored During Interviews
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has put in place a standardized scoring system designed to objectively evaluate candidates during promotion interviews, ensuring a merit-based approach to career advancement within the teaching profession.
The comprehensive scoring framework takes into account multiple factors, including stagnation in one job grade, performance ratings under the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) system, age, and active participation in co-curricular activities such as sports, drama, and music. Additional considerations include the availability of vacancies, gender representation in school leadership, affirmative action for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and progressive promotions in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) and hard-to-staff regions.
According to TSC, educators who have served in acting institutional administrative positions—such as principals, headteachers, deputy principals, and deputy headteachers—are awarded additional marks.
“The marks are allocated to teachers who took on acting roles or performed administrative duties,” the Commission explained in a submission to the National Assembly’s Education Committee, which is currently probing the promotion criteria in response to public concerns.
The duration of service in acting roles also influences scoring, with longer periods attracting higher marks. This policy seeks to recognize the level of responsibility and leadership demonstrated during those tenures.
Furthermore, teachers who have remained in the same job group for an extended period earn higher scores than those with shorter service durations, as a way of acknowledging commitment and professional consistency.
“Teachers with higher scores on TPAD receive higher overall scores in the promotion evaluation. This criterion ensures that those who consistently perform well are duly recognized and rewarded,” the Commission stated.
Age is another determining factor, with older teachers earning more points. For example, educators aged 55 and above score higher than those aged 50–54, who in turn score more than teachers aged 45–49. This tiered scoring structure is intended to value experience and maturity.
TSC also takes into account teachers' involvement in co-curricular activities, rewarding those who have guided learners to higher levels of competition. “Teachers whose students reach international competitions in areas such as sports, drama, or music receive more points than those whose students succeed at the national level,” TSC noted.
Promotion opportunities are dependent on the availability of vacancies across various levels. The Commission also places an emphasis on gender equity, particularly by prioritizing the appointment of female teachers as heads of girls’ schools to serve as role models, while ensuring balanced representation in mixed institutions.
