TSC Reveals New Teacher Recruitment Rules for 2026/2027: See How Applicants Will Be Scored
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has unveiled detailed guidelines governing the recruitment of teachers into post-primary institutions on permanent and pensionable terms for the 2026/2027 financial year, outlining the qualifications, interview procedures, document requirements and scoring criteria that will determine successful candidates.
In Circular No. 15/2026, dated August 13, 2026, the Commission provided instructions to its Regional Directors, County Directors, Sub-County Directors and other officials responsible for conducting the recruitment exercise.
The guidelines introduce a structured selection process that places significant emphasis on teaching experience, particularly for candidates who have served as TSC interns, alongside academic qualifications, age and the length of time applicants have been qualified as teachers.
The document also outlines special provisions for applicants with disabilities, verification of academic certificates, the composition of interview panels and procedures for handling complaints arising from the recruitment exercise.
For teachers hoping to secure permanent and pensionable employment, understanding these guidelines could be crucial in preparing for the selection exercise.
TSC outlines how teachers will be recruited in 2026/2027
According to the Commission, applicants must submit their applications through the official TSC online recruitment platform at www.teachersonline.go.ke.
Applications must be submitted to the Secretary of the Teachers Service Commission for the institution, Sub-County or County where a vacancy has been advertised.
The recruitment exercise will be conducted through designated selection panels, with TSC County and Sub-County Directors responsible for coordinating the process.
The Commission has directed recruitment officials to uphold transparency, accountability and fairness throughout the exercise.
Before recruitment begins, TSC Regional Directors are expected to induct County Directors, who will subsequently train members of the selection panels on the relevant provisions of the TSC Act and the Code of Regulations for Teachers.
The guidelines further require recruitment venues to be accessible to applicants with disabilities.
Importantly, only teachers who are legally registered with the Teachers Service Commission under Section 23(1) of the TSC Act, 2012, will qualify for consideration.
Applicants who are not properly registered will not be eligible for recruitment.
TSC introduces a scoring system that gives weight to teaching experience
One of the most important sections of the 2026/2027 recruitment guidelines is the selection score guide.
The Commission has established a scoring framework with a maximum of 100 marks for applicants seeking employment in post-primary institutions.
The scoring system considers four major areas: academic and professional qualifications, age, length of stay since qualifying as a teacher and teaching experience.
According to Appendix I(a) of the guidelines, the scoring framework for regular applicants is structured as follows:
| Scoring category | Maximum marks |
|---|---|
| Academic and professional qualifications | 3 |
| Age | 7 |
| Length of stay since qualifying as a teacher | 20 |
| Teaching experience as a TSC intern | 70 |
| Total | 100 |
The allocation means teaching experience carries the highest weight in the recruitment exercise.
1. Teaching experience: Up to 70 marks
TSC has allocated a maximum of 70 marks to applicants who have served as interns with the Commission.
According to the selection score guide:
- Teachers who have served continuously as TSC interns for 12 months and above in the respective Sub-County will receive 70 marks.
- Teachers who have served continuously for less than 12 months in the respective Sub-County will receive 50 marks.
This makes internship experience an important consideration in the selection process.
However, applicants should note that the guidelines specifically refer to continuous service with the Commission in the respective Sub-County.
2. Length of stay since qualifying as a teacher: 20 marks
The Commission has also allocated 20 marks to the length of time an applicant has been qualified as a teacher.
The scoring favours applicants who qualified earlier, with marks reducing progressively for more recent graduates.
The score guide provides the following allocation:
| Year of qualification | Marks |
|---|---|
| 2010 and before | 20 |
| 2011 | 19 |
| 2012 | 18 |
| 2013 | 17 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 15 |
| 2016 | 14 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 11 |
| 2020 | 10 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 7 |
| 2024 | 6 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 4 |
The guidelines clarify that the year used for scoring this category will be the year the applicant satisfactorily qualified as a teacher in accordance with TSC policies, rather than simply the year appearing on the certificate used to score academic qualifications.
3. Age: Up to 7 marks
The age of applicants will also contribute to their overall interview scores.
The Commission has provided the following allocation:
- Applicants aged 50 years and above: 7 marks.
- Applicants aged between 45 and 49 years: 5 marks.
- Applicants aged 44 years and below: 3 marks.
4. Academic and professional qualifications: 3 marks
The guidelines allocate a maximum of three marks to academic and professional qualifications.
For graduate teachers, applicants with First Class qualifications receive three marks, Second Class qualifications attract two marks, while a Pass attracts one mark.
For diploma teachers, the score guide also provides marks based on whether the qualification was attained at Distinction, Credit or Pass level.
TSC explains academic qualifications required for graduate teachers
The Commission has maintained specific academic requirements for applicants seeking graduate teacher positions.
Applicants must have attained a minimum mean grade of C+ at KCSE and at least C+ in each of the two teaching subjects.
Alternatively, applicants who studied at A-Level must have obtained two Principal passes and one Subsidiary pass.
They must also possess one of the following qualifications:
- Bachelor of Education degree with two teaching subjects.
- Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree together with a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and two teaching subjects.
- Bachelor of Science with Education or Bachelor of Arts with Education with two teaching subjects.
- Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education and Extension with two teaching subjects.
The guidelines also provide for certain diploma holders who subsequently pursued Bachelor of Education degrees, subject to the specified KCSE or A-Level qualifications.
Graduate teachers must have completed at least eight course units in each of their teaching subjects, studied teaching methods in both subjects and completed a minimum of three months of teaching practice.
Requirements for diploma and technical teachers
For diploma teacher positions, applicants must generally have a minimum KCSE mean grade of C+ and at least C+ in the two teaching subjects of specialisation.
They must also possess a Diploma in Education from a recognised teacher training institution.
The guidelines provide additional requirements for English, Mathematics and other subject combinations.
Applicants are required to have at least C- in English at KCSE. Those pursuing science-based courses must have at least C in Mathematics, while applicants in non-science-based courses must have at least D+ in Mathematics.
There are specific exemptions and alternative provisions for certain applicants, including those who graduated in 2008 or earlier and some hearing and visually impaired applicants.
Technical teachers must meet the specified academic requirements and possess relevant technical qualifications.
Depending on their qualifications, applicants may hold a Bachelor of Education Technology, a relevant Bachelor of Science degree, a Higher Diploma in a technical course or a Diploma in a technical course.
Applicants holding technical qualifications other than a Bachelor of Education Technology must also possess a Diploma in Technical Teacher Education from the Kenya School of TVET, formerly Kenya Technical Training College.
The guidelines further provide subject-specific minimum KCSE requirements for technical areas such as Aviation, Building Construction, Electricity, Metal Work, Power Mechanics, Wood Work, Media Technology, and Marine and Fisheries.
TSC reserves at least 5 per cent of vacancies for teachers with disabilities
The Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive recruitment by requiring that at least five per cent of all advertised vacancies be reserved for teachers with disabilities.
Applicants with disabilities must indicate their disability status and the nature of their disabilities to facilitate appropriate placement.
They will also be assessed using a dedicated selection score guide provided under Appendix I(b) of the recruitment guidelines.
Additionally, applicants with hearing or speech disabilities are entitled to have a sign language interpreter accompany them during the interview.
The Commission has also instructed recruitment officials to ensure that interview venues are accessible to persons with disabilities.
Documents teachers must present during TSC interviews
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to verify their academic and professional documents before the selection panels.
According to the guidelines, candidates will receive SMS notifications indicating their interview venue, date and time at least seven days before the scheduled interview.
Applicants must present their original documents together with clear photocopies.
The required documents include:
- National identification card.
- Certificate of Registration as a Teacher.
- Diploma or degree certificate.
- Official academic transcripts.
- KCSE certificate or equivalent.
- KCPE certificate or equivalent.
- Primary and secondary school leaving certificates.
- National Council of Persons with Disabilities card, where applicable.
- Affidavit explaining differences in names appearing on academic and professional documents, where applicable.
- KNEC certification of results, where applicable.
Applicants who have retaken KCPE or KCSE examinations must provide certified copies of certificates for all examination attempts.
Those whose examinations were cancelled must provide the relevant institutional documentation and certified KNEC printouts.
TSC has also warned that provisional transcripts will not be accepted.
Candidates presenting forged academic or professional documents risk disqualification and possible deregistration.
How TSC will handle the selection and interview process
The recruitment guidelines establish different selection panels depending on the type of institution.
For institutions with Boards of Management, the panel will comprise five members, including the Board of Management chairperson, institution head, subject specialist, Parent Association chairperson and TSC Sub-County Director or representative.
Schools without Boards of Management will also have a five-member selection panel, with the TSC Sub-County Director or representative serving as chairperson.
For Junior Secondary Schools, the selection panel will comprise three officials: the TSC Sub-County Director as chairperson, the Sub-County Human Resource Officer as secretary and the Curriculum Support Officer as a member.
Applicants must appear before the selection panels in person and will be scored according to the prescribed selection score guides.
The panels will verify the authenticity of academic and professional certificates and establish whether candidates meet the advertised requirements.
Who gets priority when applicants obtain equal marks?
The guidelines also address situations where two or more applicants obtain similar scores during recruitment.
In the event of a tie, the Commission will consider the following factors in order of priority:
- Length of stay since graduation.
- Quality of academic certificates presented.
- Quality of professional certificates presented.
Where applicants tie on aggregate grades, their subject grades will also be considered.
The guidelines further state that preference will be given to applicants who have not previously been employed by the Commission on permanent and pensionable terms.
Preference will also be granted to applicants originating from the respective Sub-County, followed by applicants from the County, in accordance with merit.
TSC explains how unsuccessful applicants can lodge complaints
Teachers dissatisfied with the recruitment exercise have been given an opportunity to challenge the process through a formal grievance procedure.
According to the guidelines, an applicant who is dissatisfied must submit a written complaint to the TSC County Director and email the TSC Headquarters through dirstaffing@tsc.go.ke within seven days of the selection process.
The County Director is expected to analyse and address the complaints within seven days and inform the Commission of the action taken.
Applicants who remain dissatisfied with the County Director’s decision may appeal in writing to the Director of Staffing at TSC Headquarters within seven days of the decision.
The Appeals Committee is expected to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action within 14 days.
The Commission has also warned that any application or employment offer based on misleading information supplied by an applicant may be revoked immediately.
What teachers should know about the 2026/2027 recruitment guidelines
The latest guidelines provide an important framework for teachers seeking permanent and pensionable employment in post-primary institutions.
The allocation of 70 marks to TSC internship experience makes continuous service in the respective Sub-County a major consideration in the scoring process.
However, academic qualifications, age, the year an applicant qualified and other eligibility requirements will also contribute to the final selection outcome.
Teachers are therefore advised to carefully examine the qualifications for their respective teaching subjects, ensure their TSC registration is valid and prepare all the required original documents and certified copies.
Applicants should also monitor official TSC communication for interview invitations and other recruitment updates.
The full recruitment guidelines are contained in TSC Circular No. 15/2026, dated August 13, 2026, titled Guidelines for Recruitment of Teachers, Post Primary Institutions on Permanent and Pensionable Terms – 2026/2027 Financial Year.
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Editorial note: This article is based on the uploaded 26-page TSC Circular No. 15/2026. It explains the recruitment framework but does not claim that a new application window has opened or that additional vacancies have been announced.
