- The proposed Bill has created a platform for teachers and unions to engage policymakers on training, deployment and career progression.
- KNUT has called on P1 teachers to participate in public hearings and submit memoranda before the September 24 deadline.
- Public hearings have commenced across 31 counties, running from September 14 to 25, 2026, to gather teachers' input on the proposed legislation.
The proposed Pre-Service and In-Service Training in Basic Education Bill, 2026, has opened a fresh opportunity for P1 teachers who have upgraded to diploma or degree level to push for recognition of their additional qualifications in career progression and deployment.
The Bill provides a platform for teachers and their unions to engage policymakers on teacher training, professional development, career progression and deployment within the basic education sector.
It is particularly significant for P1 teachers who attained a KCSE mean grade of C plain, qualified as primary school teachers, and later upgraded their qualifications but have faced challenges progressing to Junior Secondary School (JSS) or secondary school teaching.
The proposed legislation, however, does not automatically guarantee deployment of these teachers to JSS or secondary schools. Instead, it allows teachers and their unions to advocate for a clear, fair and legally supported framework that recognises those who have improved their academic and professional qualifications.
Public hearings on the Bill are being held across 31 counties from September 14 to 25, 2026, while written memoranda must be submitted by September 24.
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has urged teachers to take part in the hearings, submit memoranda and share their experiences on upgrading and career progression. Teachers have also been encouraged to engage through their union structures and other recognised representatives to push for a transparent system that recognises additional qualifications.
For many P1 teachers, upgrading from certificate to diploma or degree has involved years of study, financial sacrifice and professional commitment. KNUT says the issue therefore requires collective engagement rather than being treated as an individual teacher's concern.
The union has urged teachers to use the public participation process to make constructive proposals and ensure their experiences are considered as the proposed legislation is developed.
The Bill is therefore an opportunity for P1 teachers to make their case for fairer career progression, but it should not be viewed as an automatic promise of deployment to JSS or secondary schools.
By Lizzy Aluga
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