Thousands of teachers gathered at Kasarani for World Teachers’ Day to hear the President and education leaders on issues that matter most. The main focus is the new Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) — when they will be finalised, how promotions will run, and what concrete timelines teachers can expect.
Key Takeaways
- Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) are under SRC job evaluation; teachers want a clear timeline and approval date.
- The government has recruited over 100,000 teachers and doubled promotions funding to Ksh 2 billion, supporting advertised promotion slots.
- Outstanding issues include the CBA cycle, Special Needs Education (SNE) promotions, affordable housing allocation, retirement benefits and delocalisation.
- Teachers are asking for specific dates and directives rather than general reassurances from the President and TSC.
Career Progression Guidelines (CPG): what teachers need to know
The Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) are the most consequential item on teachers’ agenda. TSC has drafted new promotion guidelines and sent them to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) for job evaluation. That evaluation is required before final approval.
Teachers expect a clear signal on timing. If approved promptly, the new CPG could take effect with benefits starting around July 2027. A precise timeline or a directive from the President to speed up the SRC process would give teachers concrete expectations.
What has been delivered so far
The government and unions both point to measurable progress. Key achievements cited by teachers include:
- Recruitment of more than 100,000 teachers, reducing staffing pressures in many schools.
- An increased education budget and a doubled promotions allocation — from Ksh 1 billion to Ksh 2 billion — which allowed TSC to advertise 34,016 promotion vacancies.
- Introduction of a new medical cover, though teachers remain divided on how it compares with the previous scheme.
Pending promises and teacher priorities
Several commitments remain incomplete and are likely to shape union demands:
- CBA cycle: Teachers were told the Collective Bargaining Agreement might be shortened from four to two years, but the current CBA continues the original four-year structure (2025–2029). Unions want clarity on future cycles.
- SNE promotions: Special Needs Education teachers were promised an automatic promotion by one grade and are still waiting for implementation.
- Affordable housing: An MOU to reserve 20% of units for teachers is yet to deliver visible housing allocations for staff.
- Retirement benefits: Some retired teachers report long delays in payments despite assurances of quick processing.
- Delocalisation: Teachers who were delocalised expect clear directives that will enable transfers back to their home stations.
What teachers want to hear from the President
Teachers are asking for specifics: dates, directives and mechanisms. They will welcome recognition of delivered items — the large recruitments, budget increases and added promotion slots — but they need the leadership to own remaining gaps and outline steps to close them.
Concrete items that would reassure teachers include:
- A timeline for the SRC job evaluation and final approval of the new CPG.
- A confirmed plan for clearing delayed retirement payments.
- A clear schedule for SNE promotions and a report on the 20% housing allocation implementation.
- A directive to TSC on ending delocalisation or fast-tracking transfer requests.
Timeline and next steps
The immediate procedural step is the SRC job evaluation of the new CPG. Once SRC completes evaluation, the guidelines move to final approval and implementation. Teachers and unions have identified July 2027 as a realistic date for benefits to start if the process is expedited, but this depends on a firm timeline from the SRC, TSC and the executive.
How teachers can prepare and access resources
While policy changes progress, teachers can focus on classroom delivery, professional development and documentation that supports promotion cases. Useful resources include:
- Free CBC exam papers to help junior and senior teachers prepare learners for assessments.
- CBC curriculum designs for planning lessons aligned with the new competency-based approach.
- CBC lesson plans and teaching notes to strengthen classroom practice and evidence for performance evaluations.
Practical advice for teachers today
Keep records of CPD, TPAD entries and any professional development that supports promotion claims. Follow union guidance on outstanding issues and submit transfer or retirement requests through official TSC channels. When leadership announces dates or directives, document them and share with colleagues to build collective follow-up.
In summary, teachers want the new Career Progression Guidelines finalised with a clear timeline, movement on outstanding promises, and practical steps that turn commitments into benefits. Specific dates and decisive directives from the President, TSC and SRC will be the most effective way to restore confidence and move reforms forward.
