Principals from hell: Inside the rot at Teachers Service Commission

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has in the recent weeks come under fierce criticism for its blatant disregard of the welfare of the very tutors it is mandated to serve. 

Revelations from teachers who have decided to air their grievances online since no one is giving them a listening ear, paints a depressing picture of an employer — TSC — ignoring tutors, treating the profession with disrespect, and making the noble vocation appear demeaning and undervalued. 

From cases of outright bribery, deeply entrenched tribalism, high handedness by school principals leaving no recourse for their underlings and skewed promotion, real struggles faced by teachers across the country are now being exposed.  

In a tense parliamentary session held on July 10, 2025, members of the National Assembly’s Education Committee took TSC to task for failing to provide a comprehensive county-by-county report on unemployed teachers aged 45 years and above.

The information, the Committee said, was crucial for proper planning and decision-making, yet TSC was unable to the data. 

TSC acting Chief Executive Officer Evaleen Mitei disclosed that while more than 39,000 teachers are registered as unemployed, the Commission could only identify less than 3,000.

Readily available

The MPs pointed out, the teachers’ employer had access to national ID records, and payroll through which the Commission processes salaries, which should make this information readily available.

TSC’s own employment figures show a disturbing trend — that out of 1,264 applicants aged above 45 years, less than half were hired in the latest recruitment cycle, suggesting serious age-based discrimination.

This practice was ruled unconstitutional by the Employment and Labour Relations Court in 2019, yet the TSC seems to continue sidelining older and experienced teachers, thus depriving schools of much-needed expertise.

But the woes of teachers don’t end there. The Commission’s recruitment and promotion methods heavily favour science and technical subjects over humanities and languages.

According to the TSC scoring system, science graduates receive 65 marks while humanities and language teachers get a meagre five. This imbalance pushes humanities teachers to the margins despite ongoing shortages in these subjects across schools.

Consequently, untrained science teachers are often forced to teach language classes, undermining the quality of education and the spirit of the Competency-Based Education (CBE).

This discriminatory policy has sparked outrage among teachers, who accuse the Commission of deepening the marginalisation of thousands of qualified humanities graduates. The system not only denies these teachers employment opportunities but also compromises development of learners. 

On promotions, there are disturbing reports of ethnic and regional biases with more than 60 per cent of recent teacher promotions concentrated within just five ethnic groups. Many deserving teachers have waited over seven years without elevation, while others seem to have been promoted unfairly.

Favouritism goes against the principles of meritocracy and fairness that should govern the public service.

The frustration voiced by former teacher Oscar Kambona, who described his time with the TSC as the “most wasted years” of his life, resonates widely. 

Broken promises

His call for teachers to seek alternatives outside the TSC — from business to politics and international schools — reflects a profound disillusionment within the profession, triggered by poor treatment, lack of respect, and broken promises.

“One day I will write a book how the teaching profession has been demeaned. I served under TSC for four years and five months, and I feel they were the most wasted years of my life,” noted Kambona.

Human rights lawyer Zedekiah Adika echoes the call for change saying: “We owe so much to teachers who raised us. They deserve respect, fairness, and institutions that protect their dignity.”

Attempts to reform the TSC Act to enhance teachers’ welfare and professional dignity have been sluggish and fraught with obstacles. Even teachers’ unions, which ought to be the staunch defenders of their rights, seem overwhelmed and unable to reverse the erosion of teachers’ dignity and security.

“It is important for the government, Parliament, and the TSC to address these failures. This must include non-discriminatory recruitment and promotions, strict measures against bias, and above all, genuine respect for teachers as pillars of national development. Without urgent reforms, Kenya’s education sector faces further decline, and the teaching profession will continue to suffer,” says Eric Kivuva, the Law Society of Kenya Nairobi branch chairman.

According to Kivuva, the Commission should remember that teachers are not just names on a list, but the very foundation of our nation’s progress. 

“We are products of teachers who believed in us from young ages. Teachers deserve better. They deserve policies and institutions that uphold their worth and empower them,” he added.  

Kefrine Nzaywa, a teacher in Kiambu County, shared her painful journey of harassment, false accusations, and victimisation at the hands of school principals and officials. 

Nzaywa’s own experience reveals challenges faced by educators who are expected to stand for the truth in difficult environments. She was expecting twins and was immediately put on bed rest by her doctor.

“My principal began visiting the TSC sub-county office, complaining that I was earning a salary without working,” she said.

Maternity leave

After just two months post-delivery, her maternity leave was cut short, forcing her to return to work earlier than advised. 

Life at work soon became unbearable. “She constantly accused me of being paid for months I hadn’t worked and denied me breaks for breast feeding. At times, she would enter my class early and sit at the back just to humiliate me in front of my students,” narrated Nzaywa.

Seeking relief, she requested a transfer to a nearby school.

Yet, before the transfer could happen, the principal blocked her move by telling the new principal not to accept her. She only got the transfer after intervention.

On her first day at the new school, the principal warned: “I would never release you to any other school unpunished.”

Undeterred, she worked hard and taught on weekends for free. Her Chemistry students were among the best in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education.

However, obstacles persisted. The lab assistant was often told not to prepare practicals for her classes, and she faced false accusations regularly.

Isolation became her refuge. “I stopped eating at school and stayed in the lab to protect myself, but I still made sure my students got the best education possible. No matter how much I gave, it was never enough for them.”

In her third year, student strikes affected the school. The deputy principal was transferred, triggering tension and protests that caused about Sh1 million in damages.

“When students returned, they were given questionnaires about who called them ‘girls’. Some named the principal, others the boarding master, and some said they heard it was me. The questionnaires naming the principal and boarding master were later shelved,” she claimed.

Police were called to intimidate her, and Nzaywa was issued a letter to vacate school premises before being summoned and harassed at the police station where the principal’s brother worked as an investigator.

Although the police dropped the case due to inconsistent testimonies, the principal presented a fake charge sheet to the school Board of Management (BOM). Nzaywa was summoned and pressured to admit guilt to be forgiven.

But she stood firm, maintaining her conscience did not allow her to admit to wrongs she had not committed.

As a result, Nzaywaa underwent a humiliating disciplinary exercise and was finally suspended.

When reached, Mitei, the acting TSC boss, did not reply to messages or calls from The Standard. However an official from TSC legal office said the Commission could not comment of lodged complaints and cases since most of them are in the process of being sorted out.

Legal officer

“We can’t speak for each of this cases. They are various stages of being solved. TSC takes these matters seriously and is always in the forefront when it comes to welfare of teachers,” said the legal officer. 

For Gideon Karuti, what began as a routine journey back home from work spiralled into a year-long nightmare of physical agony, institutional neglect, and a bitter legal battle for a teacher who was seriously injured in a school bus accident.

In an interview, the teacher, now transferred from a school in Nyeri, has laid bare a harrowing tale of life and a promising career derailed by a horrific accident.

The incident occurred on the evening of July 30, 2024. After a day of marking exams for the Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec), the teacher was alighting from the school bus when the vehicle ran over his left foot, leaving him helpless on the tarmac.

“By God’s grace, I remained conscious and managed to call for help,” he recounted.

He was initially rushed to Tumtum PCEA Hospital, where three dislocated toes were reattached and an X-ray revealed fractures. Despite a doctor’s recommendation for admission, he sought transfer to Thika to be near his family for care. This was only the beginning of a medical odyssey that continues to this day.

At Medcross Hospital in Thika, daily wound dressings became the norm. A severe burn, discovered under his backslab plaster, and a later blood clot compounded his suffering.

The trauma extended to his right shoulder, where an MRI later confirmed a sub-dislocation and small cysts.

“I continue with physiotherapy while managing the numbness in my foot,” he stated, adding that he also undergoes treatment for his shoulder and clinical depression.

“Any time I share this I find myself in tears because I have suffered. I am not able to move on.”

From the outset, the teacher says he notified the school’s head of Logistics who escalated the matter to the chief principal who initially assured him of the BOM’s support, he claims the pledge turned empty.

The situation was made more distressing by a personal crisis. “Before the accident, I had informed the Chief Principal that I would be rushing to Meru to pick up my mother, who was scheduled for surgery in Nairobi,” he explained.

“The accident forced me to postpone the trip, delaying her surgery and worsening her condition.”

He describes reaching a point of financial desperation, having to pay his mounting medical bills alone.

“I shared this with the chief principal, expressing the need for possible support from colleagues. She promised to initiate something, but nothing was done, adding to my humiliation,” he stated.

Karuti, contrasts the response to his accident with that of a colleague who sustained minor injuries on a weekend.

He claims the colleague was rushed to hospital in the school van, with the chief principal spending hours at the facility, while staff were mobilised to offer support.

“In contrast, no one from the school visited me after my serious work-related accident,” he said.

“I later discovered that staff had been misinformed, told that I had simply injured a toenail, which minimised the severity of my condition.”

This sense of isolation was compounded by what he perceived as indirect harassment after his lawyer filed a case against the BOM

He claims he was initially excluded from, then abruptly included in, KNEC marking duties despite his medical condition, and was gradually relieved of his administrative duties without formal communication.

After what he describes as repeated humiliations, he sought a transfer. His request was initially denied at the sub-county level, pushing him deeper into despair.

“On the opening day for the third term of 2025, I was ambushed with a transfer to Kiaragana day school. It was now the last weapon and nail to my coffin,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion.

“That day as I drove to Nairobi TSC headquarters I missed three accidents by a whisker.”

His journey to TSC headquarters, however, marked a turning point. He was received with empathy and referred to wellness officers.

“I really appreciate the leadership of the TSC at the headquarters,” he stated with palpable relief. “They saved my life; they saved my sinking career.”

Great leader

In his new school, he has found a supportive principal, whom he credits with helping him heal. “She is a great leader and I appreciate her. May God bless her in her leadership,” he said.

Alexina Mayaka is another teacher who faced tribulations to the point of quitting. Her career has been a difficult climb since her first teaching post in 2018.

Before landing a job, she endured numerous interviews, and when eventually given employment forms at TSC headquarters, she was asked for a bribe, which she refused.

Her early postings went well until maternity leave changed everything.

Returning under a new principal, Mayaka requested some duty adjustments to care for her baby. Initial acceptance turned to hostility, with school superiors filing complaints at TSC offices and finding faults where there were none.

The situation worsened when she helped a student who was assaulted by a deputy principal.

Instead of support, Mayaka faced threats from parents and pressure from the school. The deputy principal coached students to lie at disciplinary hearings, but the county education office found her innocent.

In July 2019, a stranger nearly attacked her in class. Though the students protected her, the school failed to guarantee her safety. Her salary was stopped three months later. Mayaka also suffered a leg fracture during this stressful time, spending large sums on treatment with no relief.

Transferred to a new school for health reasons, Mayaka encountered more intimidation when the principal publicly berated her. Her complaints to TSC offices were ignored, and instead, her salary was deducted unjustly.

Eventually forced to leave the school, her story highlights systemic abuse where many principals operate with impunity.

“Who protects rogue principals? Are they above the law? Who will stand up for junior teachers like us?” she asks.

Additional reporting by Lewis Nyaundi