The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has released a detailed scoring guide for Junior Secondary School intern teachers. This article breaks down all scoring areas, marks, qualification requirements, and ranking criteria to help applicants boost their chances.

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has introduced a revised and highly structured scoring guide for the recruitment of Junior Secondary School (JSS) teacher interns in 2025. The new score sheet outlines how applicants will be awarded marks during selection, ensuring transparency, fairness, and consistency across all counties.

This comprehensive scoring guide and the detailed scorecard provided in the uploaded document offers applicants a clear roadmap on how to maximize their chances of securing an internship position. Below is a fully broken-down explanation of each scoring category, how points are awarded, and what candidates need to understand before attending interviews.

Table of Contents

1. Academic and Professional Qualifications — Maximum 5 Marks

This section evaluates the applicant’s highest relevant qualification. The scoring differs based on whether a candidate holds a degree or diploma.

a) Bachelor’s Degree in Education (BEd)

First Class: 5 marks
Second Class: 4 marks
Pass: 3 marks

b) BA/BSc + PGDE

Applicants with a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc) plus a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) are scored as follows:

First Class: 5 marks
Second Class: 4 marks
Pass: 3 marks

c) Diploma Qualifications

Diploma holders also fall under this category, with slightly different weightings:

Diploma + Dip. Tech. Education

Distinction — 5 marks
Credit — 4 marks
Pass — 3 marks

Diploma in Education

Distinction — 4 marks
Credit — 3 marks
Pass — 2 marks

This academic category carries a maximum of 5 marks, emphasizing the value TSC places on higher qualifications.

2. Age Factor — Maximum 10 Marks

Age plays a key role in awarding internship opportunities. TSC uses this metric to prioritize older, long-waiting graduates.

Scoring is as follows:

50 years and above: 10 marks
45–49 years: 9 marks
40–44 years: 8 marks
39 years and below: 7 marks

This ensures fairness by giving older, long-unemployed graduates a competitive edge.

3. Teaching Subjects — Maximum 65 Marks

This is the most heavily weighted category, meaning subject combinations significantly impact your score.

a) Science Subjects — 65 Marks

Applicants with one science subject such as:

Biology
Chemistry
Physics

…are awarded 65 marks.

b) Mathematics / Non-Science Subject — 55 Marks

Candidates whose main subject is Mathematics or any non-science subject receive 55 marks.

c) Technical or Creative Arts Subjects — 40 Marks

This applies to subjects such as:

Home Science
Computer Studies
Business Studies
Music
Drawing & Design
Art & Design
Woodwork
Electricity
Aviation Technology
Electronics
Building & Construction
Metalwork
Power Mechanics
PE

d) Foreign or Local Languages — 25 Marks

This includes:

French
English
Kiswahili
German
Arabic
Mandarin

e) Arts Subjects — 5 Marks

History
CRE
Geography
IRE
HRE
Life Skills

This category shows strong prioritization toward STEM and technical subjects, aligning with the CBC curriculum.

4. Length of Stay Since Qualifying as a Teacher — Maximum 20 Marks

TSC awards marks depending on how long an applicant has been out of college.

2016 and before: 20 marks
2017: 18 marks
2018: 16 marks
2019: 14 marks
2020: 12 marks
2021: 10 marks
2022: 8 marks
2023: 6 marks
2024: 4 marks
2025: 2 marks

This favors teachers who have waited longest without securing employment.

5. Total Possible Marks — 100 Marks

The entire score sheet sums up to 100 marks, distributed across:

Academic qualifications
Age
Teaching subjects
Length of stay since graduation

This ensures a balanced and transparent evaluation of all applicants.

How to Maximize Your Chances of Being Selected

To increase your competitiveness during the 2025 TSC JSS internship recruitment:

Ensure your academic certificates and transcripts are well-organized and verified.
Have clear knowledge of your teaching subject combination and its weight.
Understand how your year of graduation impacts your ranking.
Research the scoring sheet thoroughly to avoid mistakes during the interview.
Prepare to articulate your teaching skills confidently before the panel.

The updated TSC scoring guide reinforces fairness and ensures that applicants with strong qualifications and longer waiting periods receive well-deserved opportunities.