The union issued a seven-day ultimatum on Thursday, August 6, warning that TSC’s failure to fulfil the President’s pledge would trigger industrial action shortly before schools reopen for the third term.
KUPPET Says TSC Has Fallen Short
KUPPET Secretary General Akello Misori accused TSC of failing to implement Ruto’s directive fully, arguing that the commission has only advertised 34,016 promotion vacancies instead of the promised 50,000.
“The Commission’s failure to advertise the exact number which the president himself had pronounced, 50,000 vacancies which he mandated on September 13, 2025. If TSC does not do justice to this, then they are calling back industrial action,” Misori said.
Union Leaders Raise Fresh Concerns
KUPPET National Chairperson Omboko Milemba said teachers have grown increasingly frustrated because promotions had remained stalled for many years before the President intervened.
“Initially, promotions for teachers had been halted for about 10 years. But when the president tells TSC to recruit over 50,000 teachers, now they are only advertising 34,000 teachers, that clearly indicates something,” Milemba said.
Strike Could Disrupt Third Term
If TSC fails to act before the ultimatum expires, KUPPET says teachers across the country will begin the strike on Friday, August 14, 2026.
The industrial action could disrupt preparations for the third school term, which begins on Monday, August 24, 2026, and runs until Friday, October 23, 2026, ahead of national examinations.
TSC Recently Advertised 54,016 Vacancies
The strike threat comes only days after TSC announced 54,016 teaching vacancies as part of one of its largest recruitment exercises this year.
The vacancies included:
34,016 promotion opportunities for serving teachers
20,000 positions for post-primary teachers serving in Junior Schools
TSC said the recruitment aims to address staffing shortages and support the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
Union Insists 16,000 Teachers Remain Unaccounted For
KUPPET argues that the promotion advertisement still falls 16,000 positions short of the commitment President Ruto publicly made.
The union insists that unless TSC advertises and fills the remaining promotion slots within the seven-day deadline, teachers nationwide will proceed with the strike as planned.
