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The senator questioned how the commission decides which teachers can take part in the promotion process, particularly those who are currently deployed to junior secondary schools.
According to the senator, reports indicate that many qualified JSS teachers were unable to take part in the exercise because the TSC online application portal only recognised teachers deployed to primary and secondary schools.
TSC told senators that budget shortfalls are affecting the timing of acting compensation, teacher recruitment and promotions, as lawmakers raised concerns about teacher welfare, succession planning and retirement benefits.
Named in the case are the National Treasury, the Ministry of Public Service, the Social Health Authority (SHA), Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), Public Service Superannuation Fund (PSSF), Public Service Commission, Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Judicial Service Commission, National Police Service Commission, the Attorney-General, the National Assembly and several leading insurance firms.
Data from the Ministry of Education shows that more than 330 cases of student unrest have been reported since April, among them 95 school fires and dozens of attempted arson incidents. The violence claimed the lives of 18 learners, making the period one of the deadliest school terms in recent years.
The dissatisfaction emerged after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) rolled out the second phase of the CBA through a circular dated July 16. The commission directed regional, county and sub-county directors to implement the revised salary scales for all teachers who were in service by July 1, excluding interns.
The TSC nominations were announced as part of a wider list of appointments, promotions and redeployments approved by the President.
Under the plan, all registered teachers will be expected to participate in ongoing professional training aimed at improving teaching methods and enhancing learner outcomes.
According to TSC, the issue arose following the implementation of amendments introduced under Section 7 of the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act, 2024, which changed Section 15(2) of the Income Tax Act by exempting employee contributions to the Affordable Housing Levy (AHL) Fund and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) from income tax
Dr Abdi said 95 of the reported cases involved fire incidents, while 34 were linked to attempted arson attacks.
The planned changes aim to introduce a clearer structure where teachers can advance either by staying in the classroom or by moving into leadership positions, without having to abandon teaching duties just to move up.
In their petition before the National Assembly, 16 deputy principals led by Maurice Otieno Ouma and Paul Juma Were say many of their colleagues have remained in the same grades for years despite holding senior school leadership positions.