This archive report was first published on 13 September 2019.
On September 13, 2019, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) introduced a new requirement for secondary school principals and teachers aspiring to head secondary schools in Kenya.
The requirement, which has been met with opposition from the Kenya Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), states that principals and deputy principals must have at least a Master's degree in Education.
According to the Daily Nation, Kuppet Secretary General Akelo Misori said the requirements are punitive and discriminatory to teachers. “We demand that the condition for Master’s degree be withdrawn,” said Mr Misori.
Mr Misori added that not everyone who has a Master's degree has the capacity to become a secondary school principal. He also stated that the TSC introduced the career progression guideline which did not require Master's degrees, and that teachers who are currently working as principals do not have Master's degrees.
Kuppet has also asked the commission to confirm all deputies and principals who have been in acting posts, citing that most of those teachers in acting capacity are in Narok, Kajiado, Coast, and Northern Kenya and Turkana regions.
“Any promotion procedure which deny such teachers of their deserved positions are clearly unacceptable,” said Mr Misori.
