Teachers attaining higher qualification won’t be automatically promoted

Knut chairman Mudzo Nzili (left) and Secretary-General Wilson Sossion display collective bargaining agreement that was signed between the union and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) on October 25, 2016. PHOTO | MACHARIA MWANGI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Knut and Kuppet had demanded that serving teachers, upon attainment of higher qualifications, should be promoted automatically.
  • Thousands of teachers have invested heavily in education with almost all universities running programmes during holidays to accommodate them.
  • Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion said that teachers will now compete for leadership positions in schools.

Teachers pursuing higher education have been taken aback after their union leaders agreed to their employer’s demand that higher qualification should not be a basis for promotion.

In a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that was signed last week in Naivasha, teachers will only be promoted on the basis of their performance in school, which is a major victory for the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC).

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) had demanded that serving teachers, upon attainment of higher qualifications, should be promoted automatically.

They had also demanded that the promotion should be effective from the date of the graduation.

Thousands of teachers have invested heavily in education with almost all universities running programmes during holidays to accommodate them.

Previously teachers were opposed to performance appraisal that was started in January 2016.

“In recognition of the fundamental shift in policy in public employment and with a view to promote, enhance and maintain high performance standards in the teaching service, parties hereby agree to ensure continuous professional development and annual performance evaluation system,” states the CBA.

It adds that the annual performance evaluation will be undertaken by TSC using tools that will be developed with the participation of the unions.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion admitted that even though higher education will not be the basis of promotion, teachers will now compete for leadership positions in schools.

“Teachers will work hard in order to get promotions and that will create good competition in the teaching service,” said Mr Sossion.

On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta, while meeting teachers’ union leaders at State House, said after raising salaries for teachers, they would be assessed more closely.

TSC Chief Executive Officer Nancy Macharia said the CBA has created distinct career paths for teachers.

“This will ensure that both the teachers in administrative and non-administrative positions have clear career progression paths,” said Mrs Macharia.

In the deal, a P1 teacher serving as a headteacher of a school will be at higher grade that a lecturer of a technical institute.

All boarding primary school heads will now be in grade D1 with a salary range of Sh77,840 to Sh93,408 putting them in the same grade as dean of curriculum, registrar and dean of students in national polytechnics and tertiary institutions.