KEWOTA CEO Highlights Career Stagnation Crisis Among Primary School Teachers
The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Women Teachers Association (KEWOTA) has raised an alarm over the deepening career stagnation affecting primary school teachers in Kenya. She highlighted the plight of thousands of educators who have faced years without promotion, despite their dedication and qualifications.
“There is a serious crisis of career stagnation in the teaching service, revealed in the high number of teachers who have not earned any promotion for more than five years,” she remarked during a recent engagement with stakeholders.
Although the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) initiated promotions for 51,000 teachers in the 2023/2024 cycle, a staggering 130,000 eligible teachers were left out. This underscores what KEWOTA describes as a systemic failure in the promotion policies outlined in key frameworks such as the Code of Regulations for Teachers (CORT), Guidelines on Appointment and Deployment of Institutional Administrators, and the Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) introduced under the Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) of 2016-2021 and 2021-2025.
The CEO emphasized that the current Career Progression Guidelines have exacerbated the stagnation crisis and should be abolished to pave the way for more equitable and transparent career growth. KEWOTA advocates for a system that rewards long service and performance rather than one that heavily ties promotions to administrative roles.
Additionally, KEWOTA has urged the government to strengthen staff establishment records in schools through increased funding for the Ministry of Education’s Quality Assurance Directorate. This would ensure a clearer pathway for career advancement from middle-level to senior roles, aligning the teaching profession with practices in other academic and research institutions.
The association’s call to action reflects a broader push to restore morale and recognize the critical role of teachers in shaping the nation’s future. “Teachers deserve a system that values their hard work and creates opportunities for professional growth,” the CEO concluded.
This spotlight on career stagnation adds to the growing conversation about the need for reforms in Kenya’s education sector, as educators seek a more inclusive and effective framework for advancement.
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