Preparing for TSC’s November Recruitment: A Checklist for Primary School Teachers
The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has confirmed that November will be a busy month for Kenya’s teaching service.
Thousands of veteran teachers are retiring in September and October, and the commission has scheduled a recruitment and replacement drive for November.
For P1 and DPTE holders who have waited years for a break, this guide explains how the process is expected to work, what the scoring system rewards, and how to prepare.
What the TSC Chairperson Has Announced
The TSC chairperson has publicly announced that the recruitment of new teachers, and the replacement of those who have left the service through natural attrition, will take place in November.
Natural attrition covers retirement, resignation, death, and dismissal. Retirements peak in September and October, which leaves vacancies at primary, junior school, and senior secondary levels.
The timing is deliberate. The drive follows the conclusion of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) national exams and assessments, so schools can finish the academic calendar before the commission moves staff and onboards new teachers. All successful candidates will be engaged on permanent and pensionable (P&P) terms.
The 20,000 Junior School Interns: What Happens in November
The November window also covers a second exercise: the transition of 20,000 junior school intern teachers to permanent and pensionable terms.
This is a transition mechanism rather than an open recruitment, and it is a separate track from the P1 process.
The application window for this cohort closed at midnight on August 31st. What remains are the interviews and the document verification exercise, and both are expected to be carried out during the November period.
These interns will have completed their mandatory two-year internship by December 31st. To recognise that service, the TSC has awarded 70 of the 100 marks in the evaluation directly to the two-year internship tenure.
The commission also plans to employ more than 16,000 additional intern teachers in November to strengthen capacity in schools.
Together, these exercises make November one of the most consequential months in the commission’s calendar.
The Staffing Picture Behind the Drive
Applicants should understand the staffing context, because it explains why the primary school process looks the way it does.
Secondary and junior schools face an acute shortage, estimated at about 100,000 positions nationwide. Junior schools alone account for roughly 78,000 of these vacancies.
Primary schools are the opposite case. The TSC maintains that they are overstaffed, a result of Grade 7 and 8 learners moving to junior secondary institutions.
The commission estimates a surplus of about 18,000 teachers, concentrated in the lower primary sections.
The commission has therefore ended mass recruitment for primary schools. Primary hiring is now restricted to replacing teachers who exit through natural attrition.
For this reason, P1 recruitment in November should be read as a replacement exercise, not an expansion.
Posts will correspond to the vacancies created by retirements and other exits, and they will be advertised by sub-county and county.
Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) have also halted the intake and training of primary school teachers this year, with zero new admissions for the September 2026 cycle.
For P1 holders who qualified years ago, this makes the existing pool of unemployed graduates the main source for the available replacement posts.
How the Recruitment Will Be Done
Under the circular guidelines issued by TSC CEO Eveleen Mitei, primary school recruitment on P&P terms for the 2025/2026 financial year follows a decentralised model.
It is managed at the Sub-County and County levels, while TSC Headquarters keeps the authority to intervene directly where necessary.
Step 1: Public advertisement and online application
Vacancies are advertised publicly, and applicants apply online through the official TSC portal for specific county or sub-county listings.
Registration under Section 23(1) of the TSC Act is mandatory, and unregistered applicants are disqualified immediately. If you are not yet registered, sort this out before the advert appears.
Step 2: Constitution of the selection panel
A three-person Sub-County Selection Panel is formed:
- Sub-County Director (Chairperson)
- Sub-County HR Officer (Secretary)
- Curriculum Support Officer (Member)
Regional and county directors induct panel members on the regulatory framework before interviews begin. This is meant to make scoring consistent across sub-counties.
Step 3: Shortlisting and notification
Shortlisted candidates are notified by SMS at least seven days before document verification. Keep your registered phone line active and check messages regularly.
Step 4: Document verification
Applicants must appear in person with their original credentials, including:
- National ID
- TSC registration certificate
- Academic certificates
- School-leaving certificates
- National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) card, where applicable
Forged documents lead to immediate disqualification and professional deregistration. Bring originals only, and make sure every certificate matches the details you entered online.
How Candidates Are Scored
The official panel score sheet carries a maximum of 100 points. It weighs experience, age, and length of unemployment heavily.
| Category | Basis of evaluation | Maximum points |
|---|---|---|
| A. Professional qualifications | Based on teaching practice scores | 5 |
| B. Age bracket | 50+ years: 20; 47–49: 15; 44–46: 10; 43 and below: 5 | 20 |
| C. Length of stay since qualifying | 2010 and before: 70 points, decreasing by about 4 points per year to 2025: 10 points | 70 |
| D. Diploma in Primary Teacher Education (CBC upgrade) | Flat score for holding the upgraded DPTE certificate | 5 |
| Total | 100 |
The structure deliberately favours older, long-serving unemployed teachers. About 70% of the score goes to the time spent waiting since graduation, and 20% goes to age. Academic strength, including the DPTE upgrade, makes up only about 10%.
What this means for you
Year of qualification matters most. A teacher who qualified in 2010 or earlier starts with 70 points. Each later year costs roughly 4 points.
Age is the second driver. Applicants aged 50 and above earn the full 20 points.
The DPTE upgrade is a small but safe gain. If you hold it, make sure the certificate is ready for verification, since the 5 points can decide a close contest.
Accuracy is critical. Because the scoring leans on dates, an error in a graduation year on your application can cost you dozens of points.
Tie-Breaking and Preferences
When scores are equal, the commission applies these rules in sequence:
- Length of stay since graduation
- Strength of academic and professional certificates
- Aggregate KCSE grades, if upgrade points match
Several preferences also apply:
- Preference goes to applicants who have never been employed by the TSC on P&P terms.
- Local applicants are prioritised, starting at the sub-county level and moving outward to the county level.
- At least 5% of all advertised posts are reserved for applicants with disabilities.
Appeals and Complaints
Applicants who are dissatisfied with an outcome have a clear process:
- File a written complaint with the County Director within seven days, with an email copy to dirstaffing@tsc.go.ke.
- The County Director must resolve the grievance within seven days.
- Unresolved matters go to the TSC Appeals Committee, which has a 14-day window to reach a final decision.
Keep copies of your application, the SMS notification, and your documents, since a complaint will need supporting evidence.
Beware of Fake Adverts
The commission had earlier warned the public about a viral fake advert that claimed 12,632 vacancies: 8,400 for primary schools, 32 for junior schools, and 4,200 for senior schools.
The TSC stated that this advert is fraudulent. It reiterates that all legitimate vacancies are announced exclusively through its official communication channels and web portals.
Do not pay anyone for a “slot” or “inside information”, and do not share your personal details on unverified links or social media pages. A genuine advert will always be on the official TSC platforms, and the process is free.
How to Prepare Before November
Confirm your TSC registration. Check that your registration under Section 23(1) of the TSC Act is valid, because unregistered applicants are disqualified immediately.
Gather your original documents. Assemble your national ID, TSC certificate, academic and professional certificates, school-leaving certificate, and an NCPWD card if applicable. Check that names and dates are consistent across all of them.
Keep your phone line active. SMS is the official notification channel, and you get at least seven days’ notice before verification.
Plan for travel. Verification is in person. Know which sub-county you are applying to and how you will reach the venue.
Apply for the right listing. Since recruitment is decentralised, you must apply for specific county or sub-county vacancies. Read each advert carefully for the posts and locations.
Watch official channels only. Check the TSC website and its verified social media accounts regularly from late October.
Outlook
November will bring two parallel exercises. One is the replacement recruitment for teachers who have retired or otherwise left the service, which includes P1 posts.
The other is the transition of 20,000 junior school interns to permanent and pensionable terms, whose interviews and document verification are all that remains after the application window closed on August 31st.
For P1 and DPTE holders, the numbers will be modest compared with past mass recruitments, because primary schools are overstaffed and hiring is now tied to attrition.
The process is transparent and rule-based, however. Those who register, prepare their documents, understand the scoring, and avoid fraudsters will be best placed to compete.
The scoring details above come from the 2025/2026 recruitment circular. Check the official November advert for any changes to posts, dates, or procedures.
