Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced that the government will promote 50,000 teachers in the coming financial year.
Kindiki said the promotions have been factored into the 2026/27 budget following consultations between the government and teachers’ unions, signaling what he described as the administration’s commitment to addressing long-standing concerns in the education sector.
Speaking on Saturday 23 May 2026, during a thanksgiving ceremony for newly elected KUPPET Meru Branch Executive Secretary Njira Muthomi in Meru, the Deputy President said the initial target had been to promote 25,000 teachers before the number was revised upwards.
“In the coming budget, we have set aside funds for teachers’ promotions.The target was 25,000 teachers initially but after further consultations with the unions, the government will now be promoting 50,000 teachers,” said Prof. Kindiki.
He noted that many teachers had remained in the same job group for more than a decade, affecting morale and productivity in schools.
“Some teachers have stagnated in one job level for over 10 years. We are doing everything possible to improve teachers’ welfare through better terms of service and employing more teachers to reduce the workload by individual teachers,” he added.
The second in command also pledged reforms to improve healthcare services offered to teachers under the Social Health Authority (SHA), acknowledging concerns raised by educators over the current medical cover arrangements.
“We need to improve the SHA packages for teachers. We will expedite the resolution of issues raised by teachers to ensure their health is assured because it is paramount to have a healthy teacher,” he said.
The remarks come amid increasing pressure from teachers’ unions demanding promotions, enhanced medical cover and improved working conditions for teachers across the country.
Prof. Kindiki praised teachers for what he termed as selfless dedication to nurturing future generations, saying educators often sacrifice personal comfort for the success of the learners.
“Teachers are the only people who spend most of their time thinking about the welfare of children of other people more than they think about their own. Because of this, we salute you because you are the best examples of sacrifice for others,” he said.
The Deputy President further defended the government’s investment in the education sector, saying the administration had significantly increased funding towards education since taking office in 2022.
According to Kindiki, the education budget has risen from Sh500 billion in 2022 to Sh765 billion in the upcoming financial year, enabling the government to undertake major reforms and infrastructure development.
Among the achievements highlighted by the DP include the recruitment of 100,000 teachers over the past three years, with another 20,000 expected to be hired in the coming weeks to bridge the staffing gap in public schools.
He said the government had also constructed 23,000 classrooms and 1,600 science laboratories across the country to improve learning conditions in schools and support the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
He further added that in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector, the government has recruited 3,300 tutors while introducing reforms aimed at boosting enrolment and equipping young people with practical skills.
On the contentious issue of Junior Secondary School (JSS), Kindiki affirmed that the government was considering proposals from stakeholders seeking to make the institutions autonomous.
“We have heard your requests to make JSS autonomous. We are going to discuss with various stakeholders to see what we can do as we wait for parliamentary intervention,” he stated.
The future of JSS management has remained a subject of debate among education stakeholders, with teachers and unions calling for clear structures and independent administration to improve efficiency in the new education system.
He assured teachers that the Kenya Kwanza administration remains committed to strengthening the education sector and ensuring teachers receive the support needed to effectively discharge their duties.
Edited by John Majau
