The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has rolled out new guidelines that set higher academic thresholds for school administrators under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) framework. According to a document presented before the Senate Education Committee on September 12, 2025, principals and deputy principals in secondary schools will now be required to hold a master’s degree in a relevant field.
In the new policy, teachers aspiring to be principals must first possess a bachelor’s degree in education or an equivalent qualification, a master’s degree in a relevant area, and have served as deputy head or an equivalent role for at least three years. They must also have completed Teacher Professional Development (TPD) modules and meet the integrity requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.
For primary school head teachers and their deputies, a bachelor’s degree in education is now mandatory. Additionally, they must have served for at least three years in their respective lower administrative roles.
TSC has emphasized that the new policy is aimed at strengthening leadership in schools and aligning administrative roles with CBC demands. However, the commission also reinforced its stance on transfers, stating that no administrator will be allowed to serve in their home county or remain in one station for more than nine years.
While the move is meant to professionalize school leadership, it has triggered debate among unions, who argue that the changes are abrupt and risk locking out many long-serving teachers.
