Teachers have raised concerns over delays in implementing the revised Career Progression Guidelines.
They are accusing the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) of failing to provide the financial framework needed to roll out the reforms.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Vihiga branch executive secretary Charles Otiende said the delay had left thousands of teachers anxious about their career progression and expected salary adjustments.
He said the SRC had yet to advise on the financial implications and payment model for implementing the new structure, two months after the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) forwarded the revised guidelines.
“TSC submitted the revised Career Progression Guidelines to SRC in May, but SRC has not communicated its position up to now,” Otiende said.
The revised guidelines reduce the number of job groups for secondary school teachers from 16 to eight, in a move aimed at simplifying the promotion structure and addressing prolonged career stagnation that has affected many teachers.
The reforms were expected to take effect from July 1, coinciding with the second phase of the 2026–29 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which teachers had anticipated would also bring another round of salary improvements.
Otiende said continued silence from the SRC risked derailing implementation, particularly as the TSC finalises its budgeting cycle.
“If the delays persist, the commission may conclude its budget without factoring in the financial requirements for the new career guidelines,” he said.
He said teachers deserved equal treatment with other public servants whose remuneration and career matters were often handled promptly.
In May, Kuppet urged the TSC to advertise promotion opportunities for about 135,000 teachers whom the union said had stagnated in their current grades.
Before finalising the revised guidelines, the TSC conducted consultations with teachers, unions and other education stakeholders as required under the 2025–29 CBA.
The review seeks to modernise the teaching profession, align career progression with the demands of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), and address weaknesses that emerged under the 2018 Career Progression Guidelines.
The reforms also provide shorter pathways to senior positions and simplify promotion requirements.
