The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has once again demonstrated its commitment to inclusivity in education by unveiling a tailored score sheet for Junior Secondary School (JSS) teacher interns with disabilities for the 2025/2026 financial year. This special scoring system provides a structured, transparent, and merit-based process while ensuring that persons with disabilities (PWDs) have a fair chance during recruitment.
This development comes just weeks after the TSC introduced other reforms in the teaching sector, including new transfer guidelines for JSS teachers and updated policies on teacher registration. You can read about those changes in our coverage here: Comprehensive Guide to TSC August 2025 Job Vacancies, TSC Transfer Application Guide 2025, and the TSC JSS Intern Score Sheet 2025.
By creating a separate score sheet for PWD applicants, the Commission is not only adhering to the constitutional requirement of reserving 5% of employment opportunities for persons with disabilities but also ensuring the process is fair, transparent, and responsive to the needs of diverse applicants.
Why a Separate Score Sheet for PWD Teachers Matters
For years, teacher recruitment has been a competitive and sometimes frustrating process, particularly for applicants who fall within vulnerable groups. PWD teachers often raised concerns that the traditional recruitment guidelines did not fully recognize their unique challenges. The new score sheet is designed to close this gap by offering more favorable age scoring, acknowledging persistence, and creating space for specialized qualifications such as Kenya Sign Language (KSL) and Braille.
This move reinforces TSC’s broader digital transformation and inclusivity agenda, aimed at ensuring that every qualified Kenyan teacher—regardless of their physical condition—has a fair chance at employment.
Breakdown of the 2025 PWD Score Sheet
The score sheet is pegged on 100 points distributed across four major categories. Below is a detailed look at how applicants with disabilities will be evaluated.
1. Academic & Professional Qualifications – 5 Points
While academics remain important, the PWD score sheet emphasizes that teaching potential is not judged by certificates alone. The allocation here is modest—only 5 points.
B.Ed Degree / BSc or BA + PGDE
- First Class: 5 points
- Second Class: 4 points
- Pass: 3 points
Diploma in Education / Diploma + Dip. Tech. Education
- Distinction: 5 points
- Credit: 4 points
- Pass: 3 points
This ensures that graduates from all academic categories are given consideration, while also rewarding academic excellence.
2. Age – 10 Points
Unlike the standard recruitment guide that often favors younger applicants, this score sheet broadens the age bracket to accommodate older candidates.
- 45 years and above: 10 points
- 40–44 years: 9 points
- 35–39 years: 8 points
- 34 years and below: 7 points
This adjustment recognizes that many PWD applicants face delays in completing their education due to accessibility challenges and health-related circumstances.
3. Teaching Subject – 65 Points
Subject specialization remains the single most decisive factor in recruitment. Just like in the standard merit list, TSC gives higher priority to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects.
- Top Tier (65 points): Biology, Chemistry, Physics
- Second Tier (55 points): Mathematics
- Third Tier (40 points): Computer Studies, Agriculture, Business Studies, Home Science, Art & Design, Music, Technical Subjects
- Fourth Tier (25 points): English, Kiswahili, French, German, Arabic, Mandarin
- Fifth Tier (5 points): History, Geography, CRE, IRE, HRE, Life Skills
For PWD applicants, the message is clear: those with science and technical combinations stand the highest chance of recruitment.
4. Length of Stay Since Graduation – 20 Points
This is another area where TSC demonstrates fairness. The longer you’ve been waiting since graduation, the more points you earn.
- 2016 or earlier: 20 points
- 2017: 18 points
- 2018: 16 points
- 2019: 14 points
- 2020: 12 points
- 2021: 10 points
- 2022: 8 points
- 2023: 6 points
- 2024: 4 points
- 2025: 2 points
This ensures that persistence is rewarded, and older graduates finally get recognition after years of waiting.
Key Takeaways for PWD Teacher Applicants
1. Constitutional Mandate
The Kenyan Constitution requires that at least 5% of employment opportunities be reserved for persons with disabilities. By creating this score sheet, TSC has operationalized that provision in teacher recruitment.
2. NCPWD Card is Mandatory
Applicants must provide a National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) card during verification. The card number must also be filled in on the score sheet to validate disability status.
3. Reasonable Accommodation
TSC has directed that all interview venues must be accessible. Applicants with hearing or speech impairments will be allowed to bring along a sign language interpreter during interviews. This marks a bold step toward inclusivity and fairness.
4. Subject Specialization in SNE
Teachers trained in Special Needs Education (SNE) with Kenya Sign Language or Braille will be directly posted to SNE schools. These subjects are officially recognized as valid teaching combinations.
5. Tie-Breaker Rule
If two applicants score the same points, the tie-breaker will favor the teacher who qualified earlier. This prevents manipulation and ensures transparency.
Reactions from Stakeholders
The new score sheet has been welcomed by disability rights groups and teacher unions alike. According to education stakeholders, the move signals that TSC is finally addressing the long-standing plea of PWD applicants who felt disadvantaged in past recruitment drives.
However, some stakeholders have cautioned that while the scoring is fair on paper, implementation will be key. Questions remain about whether all counties will adhere to the accessibility directive and how transparent verification will be.
Teacher unions such as KNUT and KUPPET have praised the decision but continue to push for broader reforms, including more teaching slots dedicated to PWDs and enhanced support for those already employed.
Pro Tips for PWD Applicants
- Maximize on Subject Combinations: If you are trained in sciences or technical subjects, your chances are higher.
- Update Your Documents: Ensure you have your TSC registration certificate, academic transcripts, and your NCPWD card ready.
- Prepare Early: Attend mentorship forums and stay updated with TSC circulars to avoid last-minute mistakes.
- Stay Competitive: Even with adjustments, the system is still merit-based. Be ready to prove your teaching competence during interviews.
Final Word
The unveiling of the TSC score sheet for PWD teacher interns 2025 is a milestone in inclusive education. For the first time, applicants with disabilities have a recruitment framework that recognizes their realities while maintaining fairness and transparency.
While challenges may arise during implementation, this reform reflects TSC’s determination to align teacher recruitment with Kenya’s constitutional values of equality and inclusivity. For PWD teachers, this is a golden opportunity to step forward and claim their rightful place in shaping the future of education.
If you are a teacher with disabilities and aspiring to join TSC in 2025, ensure you familiarize yourself with this score sheet, prepare your documents in advance, and make your application count.
