Diploma teaching in Kenya has come out to be one of the most disadvantaged career in Kenya. A diploma teachers who secures an employment opportunity with teacher service commission starts from grade C1 formerly job group J, whereas a graduate teacher starts from grade C2 formerly job group K.
While it takes three years for a graduate teacher to move to grade C3 it is supposed to take six years for a diploma teacher to move to grade C3
Diploma teachers employed during and after 2012
However a major concern has been raised over the issue of automatic promotion of diploma teachers employed after 2012. Jambonews has learnt that diploma teachers employed 2012 onwards have unexpectedly stagnated at job group K despite a span of three years elapsing.
There are diploma teachers who were supposed to move to grade C3 (job group L) by February, 2018 but until now they have not yet moved. Tsc is not providing ways for diploma teachers to navigate through L so they we can move to grade C4 (job group M ) just like their colleagues employed 2012 backwards.
Its true that the current CBA is a big blow to diploma teachers. The moment its implementation started, all other things that used to be done were left. For example it will not be automatic for diploma teachers to find themselves in grade C3(Job group) after serving for six years. This means that it will be hard for the move to grade C4 (Job group M), thus barring them from ascending to headship.
Unfavourable employment opportunity for diploma teachers
Another headache for diploma teachers is their TSC employment marking scheme that is does not favour them. Here is the current scheme used by TSC:
Distinction- 25 marks
Credit- 20 marks
Pass- 15 marks
To help you understand this point well take a look at scheme for graduate teachers:
Masters and First class honour: 35 marks
Second class upper division: 30 marks
Second class lower division: 25 marks
Pass: 20 marks
Marks for length of stay for both diploma and graduate teachers are as follows:
2014 and below: 60 marks
2015: 52 marks
2016: 44 marks
2017: 36 marks
2018: 28 marks
A keen look at the above data will make you believe that unless a diploma teacher is having a distinction is when he or she can at least compete favourably.
It is increasingly clear that TSC is doing all things possible to get rid of diploma teachers in secondary schools but its better when its done without disadvantaging anyone.
Over the years promotion of teachers has always proved to be a worrying issue because of how its done. Most teachers stagnate in grade C3 (Job group L) for long and in fact many retire while in this grade.