How TSC Scores Teachers for Promotion in 2026/2027: Marks Table, TPAD Rating and How to Apply

If you've been asking yourself "how does TSC actually score teachers for promotion?" — the Teachers Service Commission has now put it in black and white. Circular No. 13/2026, titled Guidelines on Promotion of Teachers – 2026/2027 F/Y, lays out a standardised, 100-mark scoring guide that every interview panel — Sub-County, County, and Regional — must use for every advertised grade, from Deputy Headteacher II all the way to Chief Principal.

This isn't a summary of what someone thinks TSC does. It's a grade-by-grade breakdown straight from the official annexed scoring guides, so you know precisely where your marks will come from before you ever sit before a panel.

Quick Summary: The 6 Scoring Areas TSC Uses

Every promotion scoring guide in Circular 13/2026 is built around the same six pillars, though the marks allocated to each shift depending on the grade you're competing for:

1. Academic and Professional Qualifications — 3 to 5 marks
2. Special Professional Assignments (KNEC, KICD, TIMEC/CBC/CEMASTEA trainers, authors, champions) — 2 to 5 marks
3. Length of Stay in Current Grade (and, for administrative posts, Acting/Administrative Responsibility) — up to 45–55 marks
4. Performance Management (TPAD Rating) — up to 10 marks
5. Age — up to 30–45 marks
6. Co-curricular Activities — up to 5 marks

Below, we unpack each of these — and then show you exactly how the numbers differ across cadres.

1. Academic and Professional Qualifications

Higher academic qualifications earn you more points, but this category is deliberately capped low (usually 3–5 marks) because TSC does not want paper qualifications to outweigh classroom experience. Typical scoring:

Note: Diploma holders who upgraded to a bachelor's degree after employment are awarded the Bachelor's Degree marks — a detail many applicants miss.

2. Special Professional Assignments

Teachers who have served as KNEC examiners or item developers, KICD panellists or book evaluators, TSC TIMEC/CBC/CEMASTEA county trainers, textbook authors, or "champions" earn a flat bonus — typically 2 or 5 marks depending on the grade. This is TSC's way of rewarding teachers who contribute to national curriculum and assessment systems beyond their own classroom.

3. Length of Stay in Current Grade — The Biggest Score Driver

This is where the real weight of the promotion score sits. For teaching (non-administrative) grades such as Chief Principal, Senior Principal, and Senior Head Teacher, length of stay in the current grade alone carries up to 45 marks — almost half the total score.

For administrative posts (Deputy Principal, Deputy Headteacher, Senior Lecturer, Senior Master, Curriculum Support Officer), this category is split into two parts — Administrative Responsibility (25 marks) and Length of Stay in Grade (25–30 marks) — combining for 50 to 55 marks total, the single largest score component in the entire interview.

This confirms what many teachers already suspected: teachers who have stagnated the longest in a grade — and administrators who have acted longest in a role — stand to score the highest in this category, provided they meet the minimum three-year eligibility threshold.

4. Performance Management (TPAD Rating)

TSC will average your Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD) score over the last three years. Consistently high performers score highest here (up to 10 marks):

If your TPAD scores have been inconsistent, this is the category to focus on improving before the next promotion window opens — every appraisal period counts toward your three-year average.

What TPAD is and how TSC uses it

TPAD stands for Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development — the system TSC uses to assess a teacher's on-the-job performance. Under Circular No. 13/2026 (Guidelines on Promotion of Teachers – 2026/2027 F/Y), TPAD ratings form one of the official scoring categories used by interview panels to evaluate candidates for promotion.

Section 6.4 of the Circular states directly:

"Teacher Performance Appraisal and Development (TPAD): Average TPAD ratings over the past three years shall be considered, with consistently high-performing teachers earning additional points (except for CSO)."

Which grades use the same TPAD table

This exact table appears in the scoring guides for Chief Principal, Senior Principal, Senior Headteacher, Deputy Principal I/II/III, Senior Lecturer I–IV, Senior Master I–IV, Deputy Headteacher I/II, Secondary Teacher I, and Senior Teacher I/II — in other words, nearly every grade covered in the 2026/2027 promotion exercise.

The exception: Curriculum Support Officers

Circular 13/2026 explicitly states that additional TPAD points apply to all grades "except for CSO." This is confirmed in the official scoring guide for Curriculum Support Officer I (Advert 88/2026 – Regular, and Advert 89/2026 – SNE), which has no Performance Management/TPAD category at all. Instead, CSO I candidates are scored on Academic Qualifications, Length of Stay, Age, Management/Leadership Courses, and a Computer Application Certificate.

Important nuance: The scoring guide for Curriculum Support Officer II (Advert 96/2026) — a different, lower grade — does include a TPAD/Performance Management category, and it is weighted even more heavily than in other grades:

So while Circular 13/2026's general statement says TPAD does not apply to "CSO," this only holds true for CSO I. CSO II candidates are scored on TPAD, and at double the standard weighting (20 marks instead of 10).

TPAD weight by grade category

What TPAD score do you need?

Based on the official scoring tables:

• To earn the maximum 10 marks (or 20 for CSO II), your average TPAD rating over the last three years must be 81% or above.
• A rating between 61% and 80% earns 8 marks (16 for CSO II).
• A rating between 41% and 60% earns 6 marks (12 for CSO II) — the mid-point of the scale.
• Ratings below 40% earn only 4 marks or 2 marks (8 or 4 for CSO II), significantly reducing your overall competitiveness against other shortlisted candidates.

Since TPAD is only 10 out of 100 total marks for most grades (or 20 for CSO II), it is not the single largest scoring category — Length of Stay in Current Grade and Age typically carry far more weight — but a poor TPAD average still meaningfully reduces your total score relative to candidates with strong ratings.

How TPAD feeds TSC's promotion automation

TPAD is not only an interview scoring input — it is also one of the digital systems TSC is integrating into its promotion automation infrastructure. Per Section 11.0 of Circular 13/2026, the Commission is automating the promotion process through integration of Teachers Online Services, the Teacher Promotion Module, TMIS, HRMIS, the Posting/Entry/Exit Module, EDMS, TPAD, the Leave Management Module, and the Discipline Management Module — meaning your TPAD history is expected to be pulled directly into your promotion file rather than submitted manually.

5. Age — Older Teachers Score Significantly Higher

This is arguably the most talked-about part of the guidelines. Age carries up to 30 marks for teaching and administrative grades, and up to 45 marks for Curriculum Support Officer positions — making it one of the two heaviest-weighted categories in the entire scorecard.

In practice, this means a 57-year-old teacher who has also spent 7–8 years in their current grade could walk into an interview with 75+ marks already secured out of 100 — before the panel even asks a single question. TSC has defended this approach as a way of rewarding experience and maturity in service, though it is also the provision generating the most debate among younger teachers and unions.

6. Co-curricular Activities

TSC awards marks based on the highest level of participation your learners reached in sports, drama, music, or similar activities — with international-level involvement scoring highest:

Note that for lower cadres (e.g., Senior Lecturer IV, Deputy Headteacher scales), the scale sometimes starts at National level rather than Sub-County — so check the specific scoring guide for your grade.

Full Scoring Breakdown by Grade

Here's how the 100 marks are distributed across the major cadres advertised under Circular 13/2026:

Marks are drawn directly from the annexed scoring guides in Circular 13/2026 and may vary slightly for TTC and SNE-specific versions of each grade.

Eligibility: Do You Even Qualify to Apply?

Before scoring even comes into play, TSC's guidelines set out baseline eligibility rules under Section 5.3:

• You must have served a minimum of three (3) years in your current grade.
• Under Regulation 77 of the Code of Regulations for Teachers (2015), you may be locked out of promotion if you haven't completed two years since being found guilty in a disciplinary process, or one year since receiving an administrative warning.
• Re-employed teachers must complete three years of continuous service before being considered (Regulation 78).

How to Apply for TSC Promotion: Step by Step

Promotion applications are made online. When TSC advertises a vacancy for your grade, follow these steps.

1. Visit the TSC portal (our guide to the TSC online portal shows how to log in).
2. Log in to your Teachers Online Services (TOS) account.
3. Locate the promotion advert matching your current grade and category (Regular/TTC/SNE).
4. Complete all required fields accurately and fully in the online application form.
5. Submit your application before the deadline stated in the advert.
6. Verify that your application was successfully submitted — the Commission acknowledges successful applications electronically.

Manual applications will not be considered

TSC has been explicit: "Manual applications shall not be considered." All applications must go through the prescribed online platform. Circular 13/2026 reinforces this, stating that:

• All promotion vacancies are advertised through the TSC website, mainstream print media, and any other platform the Commission deems appropriate.
• All applications will be submitted online through the designated TSC portal within the specified timeframe — manual submissions shall not be accepted.
• Applicants are advised to ensure all fields in the online application portal are accurately and fully completed, and to verify successful submission of their applications.
• Submission of false information shall result in disqualification and may attract disciplinary action.

Successful candidates must also present valid Chapter 6 documents before they are appointed, and they are posted where vacancies exist.

From Shortlisting to Appointment

1. Advertisement — Vacancies are published on the TSC website and mainstream media, indicating grade, number of vacancies, qualifications, duties, and application timelines.
2. Application window — You have 14 days from the date of advertisement to apply, exclusively through the Teachers Online Services (TOS) portal. Manual applications are not accepted.
3. Shortlisting — Candidates are shortlisted at a ratio of 1:3 per vacancy based on eligibility and merit.
4. Interview notice — Shortlisted candidates get at least 7 days' notice, with a letter specifying date, time, venue, and required documents.
5. Interview panels:

• Sub-County Panels — primary school teachers, head teachers, deputy head teachers.
• County Selection Panels — post-primary teachers, deputy principals.
• Regional Selection Panels — principals, TTC administrators, Curriculum Support Officers.

6. Scoring — Each panel member scores every section independently; the actual score is the average across panel members, and the sum of actual scores determines your final mark.
7. Board approval and posting — The TSC Board approves the final list before successful candidates are posted, factoring in gender balance, disability inclusion, and regional diversity.
8. Acceptance — Per Regulation 81, a promotion offer lapses after 30 days if not taken up.

Affirmative Action Built Into the Guidelines

TSC has written specific inclusivity commitments into Section 9.0:

• At least 5% of all promoted candidates must be teachers registered as persons with disabilities.
• Not more than two-thirds of promoted teachers in any exercise may be of the same gender, in line with Article 27(8) of the Constitution.
• Interview venues must be accessible, and applicants with hearing or speech disabilities are entitled to a sign language interpreter.

Can a Promotion Decision Be Reversed?

Yes. Under Section 10.0, TSC may review, correct, or revoke a promotion where there are material errors, fraudulent information, procedural violations, administrative anomalies, or new information that materially affects the decision. The Commission may also re-route, re-post, or reassign a promoted teacher where necessary.

Reporting Fraud

The promotion exercise is entirely free of charge. TSC has warned teachers against fraudsters claiming to "assist" with promotions and against canvassing, which leads to automatic disqualification. Suspected fraud can be reported to:

• Director Staffing: 0202892193
• Deputy Director – Staffing: 0202892136
• Or the nearest police station.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks is age worth in TSC promotions? Age carries up to 30 marks for most teaching and administrative grades, and up to 45 marks for Curriculum Support Officer positions — making it one of the two most heavily weighted factors in the scorecard.

What is the maximum score a teacher can get for length of stay in grade? For classroom/teaching leadership grades like Chief Principal, it's 45 marks. For administrative posts like Deputy Principal, combined administrative responsibility and length of stay can reach 50–55 marks.

Does TPAD affect my promotion score? Yes. Your average TPAD rating over the last three years is worth up to 10 marks, with 81% and above earning the full score.

How long is the application window once a vacancy is advertised? 14 days from the date of advertisement, submitted only through the Teachers Online Services (TOS) portal.

When do these guidelines expire? The 2026/2027 guidelines remain valid up to Wednesday, 30th June 2027.

Do all TSC promotion grades use TPAD scoring? No. TPAD/Performance Management applies to almost every grade, but Curriculum Support Officer I is explicitly excluded and has no TPAD category in its scoring guide.

How many years of TPAD ratings does TSC consider? The Commission considers your average TPAD rating over the past three (3) years, not a single year's score.

Related reading:

• TSC TPAD2 Complete Guide: Login, Appraisal Steps, Forms and Tools
• TSC Salary in Kenya: Salary Scale, Job Groups and Allowances (2026)
• TSC Promotion Requirements and Score Sheets by Cadre (2026/2027)

This article is based on TSC Circular No. 13/2026 and its annexed grade-specific scoring guides (Adverts 78/2026 – 107/2026). For the full list of advertised vacancies and application deadlines, visit the official TSC website at www.tsc.go.ke.