In a paradigm-shifting move that acknowledges the “holistic learner” vision of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has announced a specialized promotion track for educators excelling outside the traditional classroom.
As of February 25, 2026, the Commission has officially sanctioned a plan to grant automatic promotions to teachers who demonstrate exceptional talent and results in co-curricular activities, specifically in sports, drama, and music.
For years, teachers who spent their weekends on pitches or in rehearsal halls felt their career progression was hindered by a “paperwork-only” promotion system. Article 7 of the 2026 reforms changes this by allowing high-achieving games and music teachers to bypass the rigorous and often subjective promotion interviews.
Under the new guidelines, evidence of leading a team to the Regional or National levels in drama, music festivals, or sports will serve as a “fast-track” credential, moving the educator to the next job group based on their demonstrated impact on the school’s prestige and student talent development.
The new 2026 TSC Promotion Matrix has been redesigned to favor these “all-rounder” educators. While academic qualifications still carry weight (20 marks), the Co-Curricular Activities category now holds a decisive 10 marks.
In a competitive environment where a single point can determine a promotion from C2 to C3, this 10-point bonus effectively ensures that active coaches and directors have a significant advantage over their purely academic counterparts. The Commission argues that this incentivizes teachers to embrace the CBC’s mandate of nurturing diverse student talents beyond literacy and numeracy.
To support this initiative, acting CEO Evaleen Mitei has integrated these promotions into the Sh2 billion promotion kitty requested for the 2026/27 financial year. This fund is specifically earmarked to elevate 12,000 teachers who have stagnated in their current grades.
By creating an automatic path for games and music specialists, the TSC hopes to address the high burnout rate among co-curricular teachers, who often juggle heavy teaching loads with the physical and mental demands of coaching and travel.
A Warning Against “Ghost Coaches”
To ensure the integrity of the automatic promotion system, the TSC has implemented a strict verification protocol. Teachers must provide:
Official Appointment Letters as team managers or directors signed by the Sub-County Director of Education.
Certified Results Slips from the Kenya Music Festival or the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA).
Satisfactory TPAD Ratings that show their co-curricular success did not come at the expense of their core teaching duties.
As the March 2026 interview season approaches, the message to Kenya’s teachers is clear: The field and the stage are now just as important for your career as the chalkboard.
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