TSC: Secondary schools principals, deputies must have Master’s degree

The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has issued a fresh directive that will now require all secondary schools principals and their deputies to have at least a Master’s degree. At the same time, the commission will require headteachers and deputy headteachers of primary schools to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in education.

“For a teacher to be appointed as a principal, he or she must be a holder of a bachelor’s degree in education or any other recognized equivalent qualification,  be a holder of a master’s degree in a relevant area and have demonstrated competence and ability both as a classroom teacher and as a deputy head or equivalent position in a post-primary institution,” the Teachers Service Commission states in a document that it presented to the Senate Education Committee on September 12, 2025.

In addition to these requirements, the commission will now require teachers aspiring to become principals to have served as deputy head teacher or in an equivalent position in a post-primary institution for a minimum period of three years.

These teachers will also be required to have undertaken the relevant Teacher Professional Development (TPD) Modules and have met the requirements laid out in Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya.

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For teachers looking to take the position of deputy in secondary schools, the commission will require that they be holders of a bachelor’s degree in education or any other recognized equivalent qualification, and have demonstrated competence and ability both as a classroom teacher and as a senior master or equivalent in a post-primary institution.

“Have served as a senior master or equivalent position in a post-primary institution for a minimum period of three years, successfully undertaken the relevant TPD modules and met the requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution,” the TSC stated.

For primary school head teachers, the TSC will now require that applicants hold the Primary Teacher Education (PTE) certificate, hold a bachelor’s degree in education or its equivalent, and have served as a deputy head teacher for a period of three years.

Teachers looking to be promoted to the position of deputy headteacher will be required to have served as senior teacher for a period of at least three years and be a holder of a bachelor of education degree.