TSC Says NO to School Heads Being Exempted From Teaching Duties.
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has unveiled a proposed career progression framework for secondary school teachers and Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers, introducing a simplified promotion structure while maintaining that school administrators will continue to undertake classroom teaching responsibilities.
The proposed framework introduces eight teaching designations, replacing the existing structure established under the 2018 Career Progression Guidelines (CPG). The new designations range from Teacher 8 Secondary 3 (ST 8) at the entry level to Teacher 1 Secondary (ST 1) at the highest level.
According to the Commission, the revised framework seeks to streamline career advancement pathways for teachers by reducing the number of job groups and clarifying progression requirements across the profession.
Under the proposed structure, teachers entering the profession with diploma qualifications will be appointed at grade ST 8, while those holding bachelor’s degrees will join at grade ST 7.
The Commission has classified grades ST 8, ST 7, and ST 6 as common cadre positions. Teachers within these grades will progress through a shared career pathway without competing for promotional vacancies.
Competitive promotion will commence from grade ST 5, where advancement will be linked to leadership and management responsibilities within schools. The upper grades will correspond to positions including Senior Teacher, Deputy Principal, Principal, Senior Principal, and Chief Principal.
Under the framework, a teacher who attains grade ST 1 will hold the designation of Chief Principal, which represents the highest level within the secondary school teaching career structure.
The proposed system replaces the 2018 Career Progression Guidelines, which contained 13 distinct job titles across the secondary school teaching service. The previous framework included positions ranging from Secondary Teacher III through various Senior Master grades to Principal and Chief Principal levels.
The Commission’s review of the existing framework follows concerns raised by stakeholders regarding the complexity of the promotion structure and the limited advancement opportunities available to teachers who remained primarily engaged in classroom instruction.
Under the previous guidelines, teachers seeking higher grades and improved remuneration often had to transition into administrative positions such as Deputy Principal or Principal. As a result, classroom teachers who did not assume management roles frequently experienced slower career progression compared to colleagues serving in school leadership positions.
Education sector stakeholders have noted that the existing framework contributed to situations where experienced classroom teachers remained in lower grades while younger teachers who secured administrative appointments advanced more rapidly through the promotion system.
Read Also: TSC Reduces Teacher Job Titles from 13 to 8 in New Proposal
TSC has also dismissed proposals seeking to exempt school heads from classroom teaching responsibilities. The Commission maintains that Principals, Deputy Principals, Head Teachers, and Deputy Head Teachers will continue to undertake teaching duties alongside their administrative responsibilities in accordance with existing staffing and workload regulations.
The proposed career progression framework is expected to replace the current system upon approval and implementation, establishing a revised structure for teacher advancement within secondary schools and Special Needs Education institutions.
The framework reduces the number of teaching designations from 13 to eight, creating a streamlined promotion pathway intended to align teaching, leadership, and administrative roles within the education sector.
TSC Says NO to School Heads Being Exempted From Teaching Duties.
