This archive report was first published on 19 July 2019.
On July 18, 2019, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) announced plans to demote thousands of teachers in response to a court ruling that suspended the implementation of career professional guidelines.
The move comes after the TSC returned to court seeking to have the orders stopping the implementation of the guidelines halted. The commission argued that suspending the performance management tools is an affront to public interest, as it makes teachers unaccountable to anyone.
According to the TSC, the suspension of the guidelines will force the commission to place teachers in their old job grades, effectively demoting them. The promotions will be suspended until after July 2020, when the current collective bargaining agreement lapses.
The TSC's move has been met with resistance from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), which has been directed to respond to the suit by the end of July 19. The union is seeking to protect the gains under the 2016 collective bargaining agreement, which had been put at risk by the court's orders.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Post-Primary Education teachers union (Kuppet) has asked to be enjoined in the case, citing its interest in protecting the gains under the 2016 CBA.
