TSC TPAD2 Complete Guide: How to Open, Create Account, Activate, Login and Fill in Appraisal Online (2026)

TSC TPAD2 Complete Guide: How to Open, Create Account, Activate, Login and Fill in Appraisal Online (2026).

TPAD2 — the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development online portal — is the system every Teachers Service Commission (TSC) employee uses to appraise their own performance every term. Whether you’re creating your very first account, trying to log in after a long break, resetting a forgotten password, or working through your standards and lesson observation for the current term, this guide walks through every step, explains what evidence you’ll need, and flags a major change on the horizon: TPAD 3, which TSC has begun piloting and which will eventually replace the system described below.

Table of Contents

1. What is TPAD2?
2. Objectives of TPAD/TPAD2
3. Legal Basis
4. Who Uses TPAD2?
5. Official Portal Links
6. Requirements Before Creating an Account
7. How to Create a New TPAD2 Account
8. How to Activate Your TPAD2 Account
9. How to Log In to TPAD2
10. How to Recover a Forgotten Password
11. TPAD2 Dashboard Explained
12. How to Update Your Bio Data
13. How to Create a New Appraisal (Every Term)
14. How to Fill the TPAD2 Self-Appraisal
15. Lesson Observation
16. Evidence Required
17. How to Submit TPAD2
18. Common TPAD2 Errors and Fixes
19. TPAD2 Tips for a Smooth Experience
20. TPAD 3: What’s Changing in 2026
21. Frequently Asked Questions
22. Conclusion

1. What is TPAD2?

TPAD2 is the second-generation, web-based version of the Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) tool, which TSC introduced roughly a decade ago (2016) to move teacher appraisal from paper-based forms into a digital, trackable system. It is used to assess how every TSC employee — from classroom teachers to heads of institutions — is meeting defined teaching and professional standards each term, and it feeds directly into decisions on promotions, training needs, and professional accountability.

2. Objectives of TPAD/TPAD2

TPAD exists to:

• Improve and standardise teaching quality across schools.
• Strengthen accountability at the institutional level, with heads required to continuously monitor teachers.
• Identify individual professional development and training needs.
• Provide a documented performance record used to inform promotion decisions.
• Enable continuous, termly (rather than one-off annual) monitoring of teacher performance.

3. Legal Basis

TPAD is grounded in Regulation 52(1) of the Code of Regulations for Teachers (2015), which requires the TSC to appraise teachers’ performance as part of its statutory mandate to manage the teaching workforce. This is why completing your termly appraisal is not optional — it is a regulatory requirement tied to your standing as a TSC employee, and TPAD compliance records are typically required as evidence during promotion interviews.

4. Who Uses TPAD2?

TPAD2 has distinct portals/roles for:

• Teachers (classroom teachers) — complete self-appraisal each term.
• Deputy Headteachers — appraise teachers and complete their own self-appraisal.
• Headteachers/Principals — appraise Heads of Departments and Deputy Heads, manage institutional appraisal data, and handle Teacher Management Information System (TMIS) tasks such as activating teachers.
• Curriculum Support Officers, Sub-County Directors, County Directors, and Regional Directors — oversee appraisal compliance and reporting at their respective administrative levels.

5. Official Portal Links

• Main portal: https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke
• Login page: https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke/auth/login
• Create account page: https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke/auth/create_account

You can also reach TPAD2 indirectly through the main TSC website: go to tsc.go.ke, select Online Services, then choose TPAD from the dropdown — this redirects to tpad2.tsc.go.ke.

6. Requirements Before Creating an Account

Before you start, have the following ready:

• TSC Number
• National ID Number
• An active phone number (in the format 07XXXXXXXX or 01XXXXXXXX), since account activation is done via SMS
• A valid, accessible email address
• A password you’ll remember (and its confirmation)

7. How to Create a New TPAD2 Account

1. Open your browser and go to https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke.
2. Click Login.
3. Select your applicable user type (e.g., Teacher/Deputy, Head of Institution).
4. Click “First time login? Create account”, or navigate directly to the create-account page.
5. Fill in the required fields accurately:
   • TSC Number
   • National ID Number
   • Phone Number
   • Email Address
   • Password and Confirm Password
   • Preferred mode of notification (usually SMS)
6. Click Create Account.
7. You will receive an SMS containing a verification token/code.
8. Enter this code on the verification screen and click Verify Token to activate your account.

Double-check every field before submitting — a mismatched TSC Number or ID Number is one of the most common reasons account creation fails or gets flagged for manual review.

8. How to Activate Your TPAD2 Account

Activation happens immediately after account creation, via the SMS token step above. Once verified:

1. Log in with your new credentials.
2. Complete your profile/bio data, including institution information, subject combinations, and academic qualifications (see Section 12).
3. Your account is now fully active and ready for you to create your first appraisal.

If you don’t receive the SMS token, confirm your phone number was entered correctly, check for network delivery delays, or use the “resend code” option if available on the portal before contacting TSC support.

9. How to Log In to TPAD2

1. Visit https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke.
2. Click Login.
3. Select your user type (Teacher/Deputy, Head of Institution, etc.).
4. Enter your TSC Number, ID Number, and Password.
5. Click Login.

On your very first login after account creation, some teachers find the system prompts a mandatory password change even after the initial setup — follow the on-screen prompt to set a new, memorable password if this happens.

10. How to Recover a Forgotten Password

1. On the login page, click “Forgot Password?”
2. Follow the prompts to verify your identity — typically via SMS to your registered phone number or a link/code sent to your registered email.
3. Enter the reset code, then set and confirm a new password.
4. If your account appears locked after repeated failed attempts, use the same “Forgot Password” flow to reset it; if the lockout persists, contact TSC support (details in Section 21).

11. TPAD2 Dashboard Explained

Once logged in, teachers typically see these main menu areas:

• Dashboard — your landing page, showing your name, TSC Number, appraisal status, notifications, and a graphical view of termly/annual appraisal progress.
• My Profile — where you update bio data, institution, and subject information.
• Self Appraisals — expands into two sub-menus: Self Assessment (where you create and fill appraisals) and Lesson Observation.
• Teacher Professional Development (TPD) — records related to ongoing professional development activities.
• Reports — appraisal-based and standards-based reports.
• Notifications — system alerts, including reminders and appraiser feedback.

Heads of institutions see an expanded dashboard with additional sections: Appraiser Appraisals (pending appraisals, scheduled observation meetings, weekly lesson observation), Calendar of Activities (TPAD and Performance Contract calendars), Institution Set-Up (manage teachers, incoming teachers, institutions), and broader Reports (TPD summaries, demographic reports, lesson attendance reports).

12. How to Update Your Bio Data

Under My Profile:

1. Enter or confirm your bio and contact information.
2. Update your institution details.
3. Capture your highest level of education and the institution of study.
4. Select your teaching subjects from the dropdown menu.
5. Click Submit/Update to save changes.

Keeping this section current matters — subject combinations and institution data feed directly into which teaching standards and evidence categories apply to you.

13. How to Create a New Appraisal (Every Term)

You must create a fresh appraisal instance every term — the system will not let you reuse a previous term’s appraisal.

1. From your Dashboard, click Self Appraisals → Self Assessment.
2. Click Create New Appraisal.
3. Select:
   • Year
   • Term
   • Eligibility status (e.g., “On Duty” if you’re actively working)
4. Click Save Appraisal, then Close.

Your new appraisal will now appear under My Appraisals or Incomplete Appraisals, ready for you to begin filling in.

14. How to Fill the TPAD2 Self-Appraisal

1. From the dashboard, open Incomplete Appraisals and select the appraisal you just created.
2. Click Proceed to Appraisal.
3. You’ll see three main assessment areas: Teaching Standards, Learners’ Progress, and Lesson Attendance.

Updating Teaching Standards

1. Select Update Standard, then choose your institution category — Primary & Secondary or SNE (Special Needs Education).
2. Click Proceed to Standards. You’ll see the (currently five) teaching standards listed in order — complete them one at a time, in sequence, since the system will not let you skip ahead before finishing the current standard.
3. Click New Rating under the Action column for a given target.
4. You’ll see a table showing the target, maximum weight (the highest score obtainable for that target), and a Likert scale column.
5. Rate yourself honestly against each target, without exceeding the stated maximum weight, based on the verifiable evidence you actually have.
6. Where prompted, note any gaps that prevented you from fully achieving a target — this is a required field in the current system and shouldn’t be skipped.
7. Save after each section rather than waiting until the end.

Learners’ Progress and Lesson Attendance

• Fill in the required academic progress data for your learners.
• Complete the lesson attendance section, which is typically countersigned or verified by the deputy head of institution.
• Upload or reference supporting evidence where the system requests it.

Once every section shows 100% completion, click View/Submit for Appraisal.

15. Lesson Observation

Lesson observation is a two-way process between you (the appraisee) and your appraiser (typically your Head of Department, Deputy Head, or Head of Institution):

1. Find the Lesson Observation tab under Self Appraisals.
2. Click Request Observation and provide the details of the lesson to be observed: learning area, sub-strand/topic, grade/class, number of learners, date, and time.
3. Submit the request — it will appear as a notification to your appraiser.
4. Your appraiser conducts a preparatory meeting before the observation and a feedback session afterward — both are expected steps in the process, not optional extras.
5. The appraiser scores the observed lesson (typically across categories like introduction/organisation, content delivery, teaching methods, learner involvement, and classroom management) and uploads the ratings and comments directly into TPAD2.
6. These raw scores are automatically converted by the system into a Likert scale (1–5) and reflected against the relevant teaching standard target.

16. Evidence Required

Although TPAD2 largely uses self-ratings and observer scores rather than requiring you to attach every document, TSC’s TPAD manual specifies the kinds of physical/verifiable evidence you should have on hand to justify your ratings and produce if asked (including at promotion interviews). Commonly required categories of evidence include:

• Lesson plans
• Schemes of work
• Records of work covered
• Learner progress records/mark sheets
• Marked exercise books
• Attendance registers
• CBC/CBE-related records
• Teacher Professional Development (TPD) certificates
• Guidance and counselling records
• Safety records
• Records of co-curricular activity involvement
• Evidence of community service
• Photographs and meeting minutes where relevant

Keep both digital and physical copies of these throughout the term — evidence is best gathered continuously rather than assembled hastily just before the appraisal deadline.

17. How to Submit TPAD2

1. Once all sections show full completion, verify each standard and area is accurately filled in.
2. Click View/Submit for Appraisal.
3. Confirm the submission when prompted.
4. Your appraiser (Deputy Head or Head of Institution) will subsequently rate you and add their own comments, which typically appear back in your notifications/dashboard once completed.

18. Common TPAD2 Errors and Fixes

Error	Likely Cause / Fix
Invalid credentials	Double-check TSC Number, ID Number, and password for typos; confirm Caps Lock is off.
Password not accepted / reset issues	Use “Forgot Password” to trigger a fresh reset via SMS/email rather than repeatedly guessing.
Account locked	Occurs after multiple failed login attempts; reset your password or contact TSC support if the lock persists.
Missing/incomplete appraisal	Ensure you clicked “Save Appraisal” after creating it, and that you’re viewing the correct year/term.
Browser compatibility issues	Switch to an updated version of Google Chrome, which the system is most reliably tested against.
OTP/SMS code not received	Confirm your registered phone number is correct and active; check for network delay before requesting a resend.
Page loading/timeout issues	Often linked to unstable internet connections — switch to a stronger, more stable connection and avoid peak submission-deadline hours when portal traffic is highest.

19. TPAD2 Tips for a Smooth Experience

• Use Google Chrome for the most reliable experience with the portal.
• Keep your browser updated.
• Save your work after every section rather than waiting until you’ve filled everything.
• Upload or reference clear, legible evidence documents.
• Complete and submit your appraisal well before the termly deadline — don’t wait for the final day, when portal traffic (and the risk of technical hitches) is highest.
• Keep your phone number and email current, since both are used for verification codes and important notifications.
• Gather your evidence throughout the term, not just before the appraisal window opens.

20. TPAD 3: What’s Changing in 2026

This is important context that most TPAD2 guides don’t cover: TPAD2 is being phased out. TSC has been developing and piloting a successor system, TPAD 3, alongside a revamped Teacher Management Information System (TMIS) and new staffing-ratio reforms for primary and Junior Secondary Schools.

Confirmed and reported details as of mid-2026 include:

• Fewer, streamlined standards: the number of teaching standards is being cut from five to four. The four new standards are reported as: effective curriculum delivery; a comprehensive learner-centred environment; integration of technology in teaching and learning; and teacher professional growth and development (which reportedly includes a specific target on appropriate grooming in the learning environment, carrying a maximum of four points).
• Per-subject/per-learning-area scoring: rather than scoring by broad subject cluster, teachers handling combined-but-distinct learning areas (for example, Creative Arts and Sports, or Religious Education) are expected to submit separate scores per individual learning area.
• A new portal address: the access link is expected to move from tpad2.tsc.go.ke to portal.tsc.go.ke once TPAD 3 is fully activated.
• Heavier digitised evidence requirements: certified professional documents and scanned lesson-observation forms are expected to be uploaded directly into the new platform.
• Piloting, not full rollout: as of the most recent reports (through July 2026), TPAD 3 has been piloted in select counties but has not yet been fully activated nationwide — TPAD2 therefore remains the live, operative system for now.

Practical advice while TPAD 3 is pending: continue using TPAD2 as normal for your current term’s appraisal, but consider proactively safeguarding your records — save PDF copies or screenshots of your completed TPAD2 appraisals, and get your professional certificates certified/scanned now, since a smoother migration (and less last-minute scrambling) is likely if your documentation is already in order when TPAD 3 goes live.

This section will be updated as soon as TSC issues an official activation circular for TPAD 3.

21. Frequently Asked Questions

What is TPAD2? TPAD2 is the online Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development system used by TSC to evaluate teachers’ performance every term, informing promotions, training, and accountability.

How do I create a TPAD2 account? Visit tpad2.tsc.go.ke, click Login, select “First time login? Create account,” fill in your TSC Number, ID Number, phone, email, and password, then verify via the SMS code sent to your phone.

How do I reset my TPAD2 password? Click “Forgot Password?” on the login page and follow the SMS or email verification steps to set a new password.

Can I edit my appraisal after submission? Once an appraisal is submitted for appraiser review, teachers generally cannot freely edit it; any corrections typically need to go through your appraiser or institution head — avoid submitting until you’ve fully verified every section.

Who approves my TPAD? Your immediate appraiser — typically your Head of Department, Deputy Head, or Head of Institution, depending on your role — rates and countersigns your appraisal.

Can I use my phone to fill in TPAD2? Yes, TPAD2 is accessible via mobile browsers, though a stable connection and a browser like Chrome are recommended for the smoothest experience.

What evidence is required for TPAD2? Lesson plans, schemes of work, records of work, learner progress records, marked exercise books, attendance registers, TPD certificates, guidance/counselling and safety records, and evidence of co-curricular and community involvement, among others.

Can I change schools on TPAD2? Institution changes are typically updated through your bio data/profile section and coordinated with your new institution’s head and the TMIS system; check with your school administration if your institution isn’t reflecting correctly.

What if I forget my TSC Number? Your TSC Number is on your appointment/employment documents, payslip, or TSC records; contact TSC directly if you cannot locate it.

How long does the appraisal process take? It runs across the full term, from creating the appraisal early in the term to submitting completed self-appraisal and lesson observation data before the term’s appraisal deadline — it isn’t meant to be completed in a single sitting.

Is TPAD2 being replaced? Yes — TSC is developing and piloting TPAD 3, with four (rather than five) standards, per-learning-area scoring, and an eventual move to a new portal address (portal.tsc.go.ke). As of mid-2026, it is not yet fully rolled out, so TPAD2 remains in active use.

Is there a fee to use TPAD2? No — TPAD2 is a free official TSC service; you should never pay anyone to create, activate, or “fix” your TPAD2 account.

What do I do if my account is locked? Use the “Forgot Password” reset flow first; if the lockout continues, contact TSC support directly (see contacts below).

Do Board of Management (BOM) teachers use TPAD2? TPAD is primarily designed around TSC-registered/employed teachers; BOM teachers should confirm their specific appraisal requirements with their institution and TSC, since arrangements can differ from those of TSC-employed staff.

22. Conclusion

Getting through TPAD2 successfully comes down to five steps: register, activate, log in, create your termly appraisal, and fill in your standards with real, gathered evidence before submitting ahead of the deadline. Keep your contact details current, save your work as you go, and don’t wait until the last day to submit. And keep an eye out for the official TSC circular on TPAD 3 — when it lands, the process described here will shift to four standards, per-learning-area scoring, and a new portal address, so having your records and certified documents in order now will make that transition far smoother.

Read Also: TSC to Recruit Additional 500 Teachers for ASAL Counties, Says CS Ogamba

Official Support

• TSC Phone: 020 289 2000
• Email: [email protected]

Quick Links

• Main Portal: https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke
• Login: https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke/auth/login
• Create Account: https://tpad2.tsc.go.ke/auth/create_account

TSC TPAD2 Complete Guide: How to Open, Create Account, Activate, Login and Fill in Appraisal Online (2026).