TSC Study Leave policy and Guidelines for Application

The study leave application form has been modified to show the number of streams
in a school and the number of teachers on study leave.  To see a specimen copy of the study leave click here.

Most people have found going for higher education as the only option to access transfer from the current station when all other platforms have been exhausted and the outcome was unfruitful. In this write up am going to take you all types of TSC Study leaves and what it takes to qualify for one.

Once the commission receives application of the study leave, the it will decide whether one qualifies for:

1. Study leave with pay
2. Study leave without pay
3. No study leave in which case the teacher will be required to resign or be
   deemed to have deserted if he/she proceeds for studies.

Procedure of applying for TSC Study leave

Application for study leave will be forwarded to the Commission at least three months
prior to commencement of studies. Where Government scholarship is received late
the Commission will consider late application.

The application form will be completed in triplicate and the copies distributed as
follows:-

• The original copy will be forwarded to TSC by The County Director.
• The duplicate copy will be retained in the office of The County Director
• The triplicate copy will be retained in the institution

Guidelines

1. Teachers will qualify for study leave only when they are attending full time
   studies.
2. Teachers pursuing studies for their first degree will not qualify for any study
   leave.
3. The number of teachers on study leave at any one time should not exceed 2% of
   a county’s primary school’s teacher population.
   For post primary institutions the number will be limited to one teacher for a single
   streamed school, two for a double streamed school, three for a triple streamed
   school and four for four streams and above. There should not be more than one
   teacher on study leave from a department at any one time.
4. A newly employed teacher will not qualify for study leave unless he/she has
   worked for the Teachers Service Commission for five years.
5. A teacher will not qualify for study leave if he/she wishes to study in an area that
   is not in the school curricula or in the Study Leave Policy.
6. A teacher will only qualify for study leave after serving for three years since the
   expiry of a previous study leave, whether such leave was with or without pay
   except for KISE certificate cases who will be required to serve for one year.
7. A teacher on study leave will be required to submit semester progress report to
   the Teachers Service Commission Headquarters at the end of each semester.
8. A teacher will be required to submit the certificate one year after completion or
   the expiry of the leave. Teachers who for any reason are unable to complete or
   pass their courses will be required to report back to the commission immediately
   and produce documentary evidence of the part of the course covered and the
   reasons for the inability to complete the course. A teacher who does not pass the
   course will not qualify for any other leave thereafter.
9. Teachers on study leave will remain answerable to the headteacher in their duty
   station. For that reason teachers on study leave should report to the headteacher
   for assignment of duties when there are interruptions in their programmes
10. Extension of study leave will be limited to a maximum of three months and will be
    without pay
11. Teachers admitted to foreign universities who are self sponsored will only qualify
    for unpaid study leave.
12. A teacher on study leave will be required to apply for posting in writing to the
    Teachers Service Commission at least 30 days before the completion of the
    programme for which the leave was granted or expiry of the leave.
13. Teachers above fifty five (55) years of age will not qualify for study leave for
    courses exceeding 6 months.
14. On expiry of study leave teachers may not necessarily be posted to their former
    stations.
15. Upon approval of study leave, a teacher will be bonded to serve in the Public
    Service for varying periods based on the duration of the leave.
16. Teachers pursuing masters degrees through school based or part-time
    programmes will qualify for a maximum of 3 months leave to carry out research.
    However, this leave cannot be extended.

TSC Study Leave with pay

The following categories of teachers will qualify for study leave with pay.

1. Teachers selected for training locally or abroad by the Commission, Ministry of
   Education or the Ministry of state for Public Service provided they fulfill all other
   conditions attached to study leave.
2. Untrained Graduate Teachers in the employment of Teachers Service Commission,
   studying for the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in approved
   Universities.
3. Untrained Technical Teachers, Assistant Lecturers and Lecturers in the employment
   of Teachers Service Commission, undertaking professional training at Kenya
4. Technical Teachers College or a post graduate diploma in a recognized university. Trained Technical Teachers and lectures in the employment of Teachers Service
   Commission admitted to National Polytechnics and accredited local universities for
   Higher Diploma and masters degree in the following course areas:

• Engineering Courses
• Mechanical Engineering/Agricultural Engineering/Water Engineering
• Motor Vehicle Mechanics/automotive Engineering
• Electrical engineering/Electronics engineering
• Structures/Civil Engineering/Construction/Architecture
• Computer Science/Engineering
• Clothing, Fashion design and Textile Technology
• Applied Sciences/Technology
• Medical Laboratory Technology
• Pharmacy
• Applied Biology
• Food & Beverage and Hotel Management
• Food Science & Technology
• Library Science
• Food Nutrition & Dietetics
• Bakery Management
• Institutional Management
• Business Studies
• CPA/CPS part III
• Secretarial Studies
• Co-operative Management
• Supplies Management
• Information Technology
• Tourism Management
• Technical Education
• B.Ed Technology
• Master of Technical Education, Vocational and
• Industrial Training

5.  P1/AT IV teachers admitted to Kenya Institute of Special Education to study a
Diploma in Special Education.
6. Teachers admitted in accredited local Universities to study for Masters Degrees in the
following areas:-

• History
• Geography
• Christian Religious Education
• Islamic Religious Education
• English
• Kiswahili
• French
• German
• Arabic
• Fine Art
• Art & Design
• Music
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematics
• Agriculture
• Business studies
• Special Education
• Curriculum Development
• M. Ed Technology
• Guidance and Counseling/Education Psychology/
• Counseling Psychology
• Education Planning and Administration
• Entrepreneurship
• Project Management & Development,
• MBA: Human Resource Management &
• Development, Strategic Management,
• Project Planning & Management

TSC Study Leave Without Pay

The following categories of teachers will qualify for study leave without pay:-

1. P1/AT IV teachers admitted to Diploma Colleges provided the subject studied is in
   the school curricula
2. P1/AT IV teachers admitted to National Polytechnics or Institutes of Technology
   for areas relevant to the teaching curricula
3. Teachers studying for PHDs
4. Teachers admitted to accredited Universities for masters degree courses in the
   following areas:-

• Early Childhood Education
• Physical Education
• Research
• Environmental Studies
• HIV Aids, Disaster Management
• Gender Based Courses
• Poverty Eradication
• Sustainable Development
• Conflict resolution
• Education Communications Technology and Media Studies