The Teachers Service Commission has signalled plans to phase out the controversial Career Progression Guidelines (CPG), a framework that has governed teacher promotions for nearly a decade amid growing criticism over stagnation and delayed career advancement.
The move comes as the commission receives an additional Sh2 billion allocation in the 2026/2027 financial year to support teacher promotions, with nearly 30,000 educators expected to benefit under the proposed new system.
Introduced in 2017 to replace the traditional schemes of service, the CPG framework tied promotions to the availability of administrative positions and budgetary allocations. However, teachers and unions have consistently accused the system of limiting career growth and trapping many educators in the same job groups for years.
The issue resurfaced during a session of the National Assembly Committee on Education, where lawmakers criticised the commission over the prolonged stagnation of teachers.
“We have a group of teachers who have seriously stagnated 10 years and 11 years,” said committee chairman Julius Melly.
Melly directed the commission to provide detailed records showing the number of teachers who have remained without promotion for more than five and 10 years, including those nearing retirement while still serving in lower grades.
According to figures presented before the committee, the commission promoted 14,728 teachers in the 2022/2023 financial year, 36,504 in 2023/2024, 27,452 in 2024/2025 and 21,383 during the current financial year.
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Despite the promotions, lawmakers argued that the numbers remain insufficient compared to the widespread dissatisfaction among teachers across the country.
Teachers have also complained that many diploma and degree holders remained in the same grades even after advancing their academic qualifications, while others approached retirement without moving beyond entry-level administrative positions.
The discontent intensified following the rollout of the Competency Based Curriculum, which significantly increased teachers’ workload without corresponding salary adjustments or promotions.
The expected removal of the CPG framework is likely to trigger sweeping reforms in the teaching sector, particularly in the criteria used for promotions and deployment.
Lawmakers said they would work alongside teachers’ unions and the commission to develop a fairer and more transparent promotion structure.
“And this is where many teachers really complain and they get demoralized. But this time, I want us to do it together,” Melly stated.
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