The majority of teachers do a good job of moulding young people into knowledgeable and responsible future citizens. Their commitment should be enhanced by improving their terms of service. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Following a difficult time with several strikes denying the students the attention they need from their teachers, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and the unions recently signed their delayed collective bargaining agreements.

This should promote harmony as the teachers prepare to return to their stations for the third and final term of the year. It is during this time that national examinations are held, and, therefore, any lingering questions on the issue of their terms of service should now be cleared.

However, the unions are on the warpath, accusing the TSC of stalling the teachers’ career progress. The Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) is demanding immediate promotions for 130,000 of its members who have remained stuck in the same job groups for several decades.

Union leaders argue that it is demotivating to keep a segment of workers in the same position for many years and still expect the best out of them. A list of the teachers who have not been given any promotions for 10 years will be resent to the TSC.

Some of them have privately invested in and acquired advanced degrees to enhance their capacity, but have been denied career advancement, as the TSC continues to pay lip service to its pledge to enhance skills. The union leaders argue that there should be harmony in promotions in the public service so that all workers are treated equally.

The TSC should seriously address this issue as part of its efforts to improve the teachers’ welfare. This will boost the standard of education, as the tutors will be more motivated to raise their productivity for the learners’ benefit.