The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has begun induction training for 136 newly recruited secretariat officers at the Kenya School of Government (KSG) Lower Kabete campus. While the induction focuses on public service standards and operational readiness, teachers across the country are demanding greater TSC recruitment transparency about how these appointments were made.
Key Takeaways
- The TSC inducted 136 new secretariat staff, including Assistant Directors and Principal Teacher Management Officers.
- Teachers are calling for public disclosure of the qualifications, career history and criteria used in appointments.
- The induction is delivered in partnership with the Kenya School of Government to align new officers with public service standards.
- Calls for transparency cite TSC’s own stated values of merit, fairness and accountability.
Why teachers want TSC recruitment transparency
Teachers say transparency is essential to maintain trust in an institution that sets professional standards for the teaching service. They want clear, verifiable information showing that appointments were based on merit, relevant experience and published criteria rather than informal or discretionary decisions.
Induction program: what happened
The induction, hosted by KSG, runs over several days and targets orientation on public service values, institutional expectations and role-specific responsibilities. Acting CEO Evaleen Mitei attended the third day of training to congratulate participants and emphasise readiness for their new roles.
Who was inducted
The cohort includes up to 136 officers drawn from various grades: Assistant Directors, Principal Teacher Management Officers from the teaching service, and other senior management officers. TSC says these officers were recruited through a competitive process earlier in the year.
Specific disclosure requests from teachers
Teachers have outlined the exact pieces of information they expect the Commission to publish, subject to privacy rules. These include:
- The academic and professional qualifications required for the roles and those held by appointed officers
- The institutions where qualifications were obtained and the years awarded
- Dates when the officers joined the teaching service or were first employed by TSC
- Previous positions and grades, plus time served in each grade
- The objective criteria used to determine eligibility for appointment or promotion
- Where applicable, the specific vacancies or positions filled
TSC’s stated principles under scrutiny
The criticism hinges on the Commission’s own stated policy commitments: merit, fairness, transparency and accountability. Teachers argue that if TSC publicly commits to those values, it should be able to show documentation and process records that demonstrate consistent application of those principles in secretariat appointments.
How transparency helps the teaching service
Public disclosure of recruitment criteria and supporting records can:
- Reassure teachers that promotions and appointments follow clear rules
- Reduce perceptions of favouritism and protect institutional credibility
- Allow teachers to plan career progression with realistic expectations
- Ensure equal rules apply to all employees, regardless of rank
Courtesy call and institutional partnership
During the induction week, TSC leadership held a courtesy meeting with KSG officials. Both institutions reaffirmed their long-standing collaboration on capacity building and public service training, which supports structured induction and leadership development across state agencies.
What happens next
The induction will continue at KSG’s Lower Kabete campus while calls for greater openness remain active. Teachers and stakeholders are watching to see whether the Commission will publish the information requested and provide a clear, verifiable breakdown of the recruitment process.
How teachers and students can use available resources
While the debate over recruitment transparency continues, teachers and learners can access exam and curriculum resources to support classroom and professional work. For example, teachers can review CBC exam materials from the CBC exams resources, find revision papers for upper secondary learners at the KCSE revision exams hub, and use practice tests for younger learners via the KCPE practice tests.
Summary
The induction of 136 secretariat staff is intended to strengthen the Commission’s capacity, but the episode has renewed calls for TSC recruitment transparency. Teachers want the Commission to publish clear criteria and evidence that appointments were made on merit. Transparency will help restore confidence and ensure that rules for appointment and promotion are applied fairly across the teaching service.
