TSC promotion now works through advertised vacancies, so teachers compete for each post instead of moving up automatically after years of service. Eligibility decides who can enter the contest. Interview scores decide who gets the post.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
How does TSC promotion work?
Eligibility is only one part of the picture. Budget allocations, teacher attrition and vacancies within the approved establishment all shape how many teachers move up in a given round. A qualified teacher can still miss out if no post is open.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
The reforms aim to cut the time it takes to reach the top grades from 30 years to 18 years. The new structure also gives classroom teachers and teachers aiming for leadership or administration separate career tracks. A memorandum of understanding between TSC and KUPPET is expected to speed up promotions under the revised career progression guideline.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
Who is eligible for TSC promotion?
Time in service and your disciplinary record both count. The waiting periods below come from the 2026/27 guidelines.
| Situation | Wait before promotion can be considered |
|---|---|
| Current grade | At least three years in the current grade |
| Re-employed teacher | Three years of continuous service |
| Administrative warning | One year |
| Found guilty in disciplinary proceedings | Two years |
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
If a warning or disciplinary finding applies to you, your promotion chance waits until that period ends. The sources we read do not say exactly when the clock starts, so ask TSC before you plan around a date.
How are TSC promotion applicants scored?
Selection happens in stages. TSC will shortlist three applicants for every advertised vacancy, based on eligibility and merit. The final selection is then based on interview scores. Each interview section is scored by a panel, and the section score is the average of the panel marks.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
Who interviews you depends on the level you teach. Sub-county panels handle primary school teachers, including head teachers and deputy head teachers. County Selection Panels interview post-primary teachers, including deputy principals. Shortlisted candidates must get at least seven days notice before their interview.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
Each post has its own scoring guide, so the marks differ from one post to another. The table shows examples from the guides, not a full score sheet.
| Scoring item | Marks |
|---|---|
| TPAD rating of 81 per cent or more | 10 marks |
| Co-curricular participation | Up to 5 additional marks |
| Time in current grade, Chief Principal guide | Up to 45 marks |
| Age 57 and above, Senior Lecturer II guide | Maximum 30 marks |
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
Teachers with higher academic qualifications receive more marks in the scoring guides. The final list also has quotas. At least five per cent of promoted candidates must be teachers registered as persons with disabilities, and no more than two-thirds of promoted teachers can be of the same gender.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
TSC keeps the right to review, correct or revoke a promotion decision if material errors or fraud come to light.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
How does TPAD affect promotion?
TPAD ratings count in two ways. The promotion score uses your average TPAD rating for the previous three years, and a rating of 81 per cent or more earns 10 marks. Promotion decisions also weigh classroom performance, daily responsibilities and CPD, not certificates alone.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
K24 reports that promotions for lower grades will be awarded every three years based on satisfactory TPAD performance.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
For how the appraisal itself works, read our TPAD guide.
Are the TSC job groups changing?
According to K24, yes. The job group system from B5 to D5 is to be replaced by a simpler structure running from Teacher 9 at entry level to Teacher 1. Primary teachers will generally start at Teacher 9, and diploma secondary teachers at Teacher 8. The reforms were announced after a deal between TSC and teacher unions.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
TSC is also targeting the promotion of more than 30,000 teachers who have stayed in the same job groups for years. The reforms were expected to be finalised by 30 June 2026, for implementation in the 2026/27 financial year.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Some parts are unconfirmed. K24 reports that moves such as C1 to C2 and C2 to C3 will no longer need competitive interviews. Daily Nation and Kenyans.co.ke describe competition for advertised posts instead. The sources disagree, so check the TSC circular before you assume a move is automatic. We also found no confirmed date for when the new Teacher 9 to Teacher 1 grading applies to existing C1, C2 and C3 teachers. An Education News headline still says teachers await a TSC and SRC decision, so formal approval is unconfirmed. This was checked on 26 October 2026.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
What does each grade pay from 1 July 2026?
Phase 2 of the 2025 to 2029 CBA took effect on 1 July 2026. Teachers keep their current grades and titles and move to new salary points, and they keep their increment dates. The chart shows the first and last point of each grade a month. Interns are not covered.
Source: Education News Hub, 2026
Moving up one grade is worth the gap between the same point in the two ranges, for example the first point of C2 is KSh 41,100 and the first point of C3 is KSh 48,754. House allowance and other allowances are paid on top and depend on your station. Use the TSC salary scale and pay calculator to see your own range and an estimate of take-home pay.
Source: Education News Hub, 2026
When was the TSC promotion deadline?
Promotion applications had to be submitted online by midnight on Monday, 10 August 2026. That deadline has passed, so if you missed it, watch for the next advert.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
The advert date is unconfirmed. Daily Nation says TSC advertised 34,016 promotion vacancies on 8 July 2026, while Kenyans.co.ke gives Tuesday 28 July 2026. The sources disagree. Kenyans.co.ke also says applications are submitted electronically within 14 days, but the page does not say 14 days from what, so treat that figure as unconfirmed. Whether 2026/27 shortlists, interview dates or results have been released is not confirmed either, and no page we read explains how results are announced.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
Where do I apply for TSC promotion?
Applicants apply online through the TSC portal at teachersonline.go.ke. Only that portal address is confirmed. The login steps and the promotion status check are not, so do not rely on a step-by-step guide from another site.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
We could not read the official TSC website when we checked on 26 October 2026, so no official circular is confirmed here. Read the official site first, and use our teachers hub to find the other TSC tasks in one place.
Source: Teachers Service Commission, 2026
TSC warns applicants to avoid fraudsters who ask for money to help with recruitment. Do not pay anyone who promises a promotion.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
How to apply for TSC promotion
- Confirm that you have served at least three years in your current grade, and that no warning or disciplinary wait applies to you.
- Find the advert for your post. The vacancies covered 30 cadres, and the largest group was 13,490 Senior Teacher II posts.
- Apply online through teachersonline.go.ke before the deadline. For the 2026 round, that was midnight on Monday, 10 August 2026.
- Expect shortlisting at three applicants for each vacancy.
- Prepare for your interview. Sub-county panels handle primary teachers and County Selection Panels handle post-primary teachers, with at least seven days notice.
- Interview scores decide the final selection. Promoted teachers are posted to schools where vacancies exist, and K24 reports they can choose from available vacancies rather than face mandatory transfers. For the general rules, see TSC transfers.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Key figures to cite
- TSC advertised 34,016 promotion vacancies on 8 July 2026, according to Daily Nation.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
- The July 2026 advert covered 54,016 teaching vacancies, including 20,000 junior school posts.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
- Promotion applications closed at midnight on Monday, 10 August 2026.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
- TSC shortlists three applicants for every advertised vacancy.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
- Public schools face an overall teacher shortage of more than 96,000.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
- At least five per cent of promoted candidates must be teachers registered as persons with disabilities.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
- The reforms aim to cut the journey to top grades from 30 years to 18 years.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
- The reforms were announced on 18 June 2026 after a deal between TSC and teacher unions.
Source: K24 Digital, 2026
Read next
See every TSC task in one place on the teachers hub. Head teacher or school owner? Claim your school's free page and keep its details correct.
Questions people ask
Is there a shortage of teachers in Kenya?
Yes. Daily Nation reports that public schools face an overall shortage of more than 96,000 teachers. The July 2026 advert also listed 20,000 junior school posts.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
Who is the current chairman of TSC?
A June 2026 caption in Daily Nation names Jamleck Muturi as the TSC chairperson. We could not check this against the TSC website on 26 October 2026, so confirm it there before you quote it.
Source: Daily Nation, 2026
How do I apply for TSC replacement vacancies?
The pages we read do not cover replacement vacancies, so we cannot give steps for them. Check the adverts on the TSC website and the portal at teachersonline.go.ke. Do not pay anyone who offers to help with recruitment.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
Can I teach with grade C?
The pages we read give one rule only: junior school recruitment needs a Diploma in Education with a minimum KCSE grade of C+. They do not give a general rule for teaching with grade C, so that question is unconfirmed. Check the TSC website before you plan around it.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
What is the salary of a C3 teacher in Kenya?
Secondary Teacher I (C3) earns a basic salary between KSh 48,754 and KSh 62,659 a month from 1 July 2026, under Phase 2 of the 2025 to 2029 CBA. House and other allowances are paid on top. The sources do not say when the new Teacher 9 to Teacher 1 structure takes effect for existing C1, C2 and C3 teachers. See the TSC salary scale and pay calculator.
Source: Education News Hub, 2026
What is the minimum qualification for a lecturer?
No page we read covers lecturer qualifications, lecturer requirements, lecturer salaries or the best exam for lecturers. These points are unconfirmed. Ask TSC or the institution you want to join.
How do I check my TSC promotion status?
Only the portal address teachersonline.go.ke is confirmed. The login and status steps are unconfirmed, so check the official TSC website and the portal directly.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke, 2026
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