Teachers Get New CPG in Two Weeks, President Ruto Announces
President says SRC job evaluation is nearly complete as he marks World Teachers Day at Kasarani with thousands of teachers
NAIROBI, Monday, October 5, 2026 – Teachers will receive their long-awaited new Career Progression Guidelines (CPG) within the next two weeks, President William Ruto announced on Monday during World Teachers Day celebrations at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
Addressing thousands of teachers from across the country, the President said he had spoken with Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) chairperson Sammy Chepkwony, who confirmed that the job evaluation exercise is nearing completion and that the new guidelines will be out in two weeks.
The announcement drew loud applause from the packed stadium. It is the news teachers have waited for since the 2018 CPG began drawing complaints about stagnation, with many teachers spending a decade or more in the same job group.
A promise made at State House
The President recalled that he had promised teachers a new CPG when he met their representatives at State House in September last year.
Teachers’ unions and the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) have since held consultations, and a draft titled “Highlights of the Proposed Revised Career Progression Guidelines for Teachers and Curriculum Support Officers” was released for public participation in June.
The new guidelines will replace the 2018 framework, which has been widely blamed for the stagnation that has frustrated teachers, particularly in primary schools, where progression to higher grades has been slow and highly competitive.
If delivered on time, the CPG will arguably be the biggest single gain for teachers during Ruto’s time in office since 2022, and a major political win in a sector where pay, promotions and working conditions have often led to standoffs between the government and unions.
What the draft proposes
Although the final details will only be known once the guidelines are published, the June draft gave an indication of the direction of reform.
It proposes reducing the number of career levels from 56 to 43, which is expected to shorten career paths and speed up progression for many teachers.
The draft also seeks to separate administrative and professional roles, recognising the challenge of combining classroom work with administrative duties.
If adopted, the change would allow teachers to grow professionally without having to become administrators, giving more recognition to excellent classroom practitioners and talents outside classroom.
The proposals also distinguish entry points for P1 certificate holders, diploma teachers and degree teachers, which is meant to give clearer pathways into the profession.
The draft has not escaped scrutiny. Teachers who reviewed it have said they want clear timelines for promotion, since many grades remain “competitive” and do not indicate how long a teacher must serve before moving up.
Others have called for automatic progression within common cadres after satisfactory service and appraisal, early publication of the salary implications that will follow the job evaluation, and a guarantee that no teacher loses salary, grade, pension rights or accrued benefits during the transition.
Other issues raised include better recognition of further studies, fair treatment of primary teachers, transparent and appealable appraisal systems, and special incentives for teachers in hardship areas and Special Needs Education institutions.
With the SRC job evaluation nearly done, teachers will be keen to see how many of these concerns the final document addresses.
More teachers, more promotions
Beyond the CPG, President Ruto used the occasion to highlight what his administration says it has done for teachers and the education sector.
He said the government has employed more than 100,000 teachers since he took office, easing the severe shortage that has left many schools overstretched. Another 20,000 teachers will be recruited by the end of this year, bringing the total to 120,000 by the end of his five-year term.
Hre said the current 20,000 junior school intern teachers hired in January last year will be confirmed to permanent and pensionable terms in January 2027.
On promotions, the President said TSC has promoted 34,016 teachers in a single year, the largest number the commission has ever promoted in one year. He promised that the number will rise to 50,000 in the next financial year, a commitment likely to be welcomed by teachers who have waited years for upgrades.
Free TPD courses
The President also announced relief for teachers on professional development. Teachers will no longer pay Ksh 6,000 for Teacher Professional Development (TPD) courses, as the government has set aside Ksh 900 million to cover the cost.
TPD is a requirement for teachers to renew their registration and be considered for promotion, and the fee has been a recurring complaint, especially among teachers with modest salaries and many financial obligations. Absorbing the cost, the President said, removes a barrier to career growth.
Stabilising the CBE
On curriculum reforms, Ruto said the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms (PWPER), which he appointed, had helped stabilise the Competency Based Education (CBE) system, which has faced criticism over infrastructure, learning materials and teacher preparedness since it replaced the 8-4-4 system.
He cited the decision to domicile Junior School within primary schools as a key outcome. According to the President, this saved parents and learners the cost and inconvenience of long journeys by keeping schools closer to home.
He added that more than 200,000 teachers have so far undergone capacity building to align them with the new curriculum, a major undertaking given that teachers are central to the success of CBE.
Also 23,000 classrooms have been constructed and a total of 1,000 laboratories for junior school learners.
Teachers watching the details
The President’s announcements were well received at Kasarani, but teachers’ reactions will ultimately depend on what is contained in the final CPG.
Education stakeholders have long said the success of any new framework will hinge on how predictable promotions are, how fairly teachers are paid for equivalent responsibilities, whether current benefits are protected, whether classroom teaching offers a meaningful career track, and how transparent the appraisal and salary processes are.
Key questions remain. Will the guidelines give clear service timelines for promotion? Will the salary scales and allowances that flow from the job evaluation be published at the same time?
Will teachers who choose to remain in the classroom be rewarded as well as those who move into administration? And how will the transition protect teachers already in the system?
The answers will become clear when the document is published. For now, teachers have a date to watch: the President has publicly committed to a two-week timeline, and teachers, their unions and the education sector will hold the government to it.
A test of delivery
World Teachers Day, marked annually on October 5, is traditionally a day for recognising teachers’ contribution to society, and the Kasarani event gave the President a platform to present his administration’s record. His promise on the CPG now shifts the focus from announcements to delivery.
Whether the new guidelines end the stagnation blamed on the 2018 framework will be judged by teachers on practical measures: how fast they move up the ladder, how much more they earn, and whether the system rewards experience, qualifications and good performance fairly.
In the meantime, the two-week countdown has begun. If the SRC completes its job evaluation as the President says, teachers could soon have in their hands the document that shapes their careers for years to come.
